One Second Is All It Takes

Software code or digital data infected by malwareEvery single second, from 1 to 9 new pieces of Malware are created, adding to the never ending swarm buzzing around you.

The truth, is anti-malware software isn’t good enough, but the average person can’t afford to be without whatever protection is does provide.

In a recent, NPR Interview, Mr. Peter W. Singer, of the Brookings Institution, summed it up best “…we’re discovering between one to nine new pieces of malware every second. And this is basically being written by computers.”

Malware is being generated so fast, Anti-Malware software isn’t catching it fast enough, meaning there is a very large quantity of unknown, undetected Malware, referred to as ZERO DAY.

Just stop a moment and think about those numbers. Up to 9 new pieces of malware per second. With 86,400 seconds in a 24 hour day, this is potentially 777600 new Malware per day.

Malware, Virus, Vulnerability, whatever the attack vector is, if it is out there, and none of the antivirus or anti-malware software doesn’t have an updated definition file to catch it, it is referred to as a Zero Day.

According to Kapersky Labs, in 2013 Kaspersky Lab products neutralized 5,188,740,554 cyber-attacks on user computers and mobile devices. That’s Billion.

Kaspersky neutralized 1,700,870,654 attacks launched from online resources located all over the world, and detected almost 3 billion malware attacks on user computers. A total of 1.8 million malicious and potentially unwanted programs were detected in these attacks.

Again, these numbers are just from Kapersky Labs alone, not to mention the other major software vendors, such as Mcafee, Norton, etc.

The number I want you to think about most is “Kaspersky Lab products detected almost 3 billion malware attacks on user computers.” Those were just the ones they were able to detect.

What about the billions that got past the defenses?

…the Zero Day attacks.

Yes, as some of you will say, this is fear mongering. I want to impress on you that hackers depend on people being lazy.

Do you know how many people tell me… “Oh, I don’t worry about it, I have antivirus installed on my computer”… not even knowing the name of what they have installed, let alone how to use it effectively to protect themselves.

Never depend on just one piece of software, thinking it will catch everything on your system. When a professional service technician cleans a machine, he will use 3 or 4 different malware and antivirus software programs, not just one.

Be aware and informed, it is your absolute best defense.

 

Jacques Redmond

About Jacques Redmond

I'm an I.T. Security Professional, Technology Analyst, Consultant, & Tech Writer Protecting You From Viruses, Malware, Trojans, Hackers, and other Cyber Threats. I enjoy taking complicated subjects, and putting them in a way that's easy for everyone to understand. My site INFORMATIONWARFARE.US gives free advice to combat threats to your system.