Symantec’s Top 10 Virus Security Threats For May

SYMANTEC’S TOP 10 VIRUS SECURITY THREATS FOR MAY 2003

Symantec, the world leader in Internet Security, releases monthly intelligence reports which list in order of severity, the most prolific viruses in Asia Pacific:

+ GLOBAL TOP TEN VIRUS THREATS ASIA PACIFIC TOP TEN VIRUS THREATS
1 W32.Klez.H@mm HTML.Redlof.A
2. W32.Sobig.B@mm W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm
3. HTML.Redlof.A W32.Sobig.B@mm (W32.HLLW.Mankx@mm)
4. W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm W32.HLLW.Lovgate.G@mm
5. W95.Hybris.worm W32.Klez.H@mm
6. JS.Exception.Exploit W95.Hybris.worm
7. W32.HLLP.Spreda W32.Nimda.E@mm
8. W32.HLLW.Lovgate.G@mm W32.Opaserv.Worm
9. W32.Pinfi W32.HLLP.Spreda
10. W32.Nimda.E@mm W32.Yaha.P@mm

David Banes, Regional Manager Symantec Security Response, Asia Pacific, analysis of the May data:
This month two new category three worms were discovered – Fizzer, and Sobig.B (Mankx) which rank in the top 5 on our global and Asia Pacific threats list.

Fizzer, is a mass mailing worm that sends itself out to all contacts in your address book and also contains a tool that logs key strokes which could potentially collect your passwords and PIN numbers. The worm also attempts to terminate the processes of various antivirus programs if they are found to be active.

W32.Sobig.B@mm, a variant of the previously discovered Sobig worm, is also a mass mailing worm that sends itself to all email addresses, and pretends to be sent from Microsoft with the subject line: (support@microsoft.com).

Although there are 2 new worms added this month, we are still seeing Klez and Nimda (discovered in 2001) ranking in the top threats that are affecting consumers and corporations worldwide. Internet users, both consumer and corporate, need to understand that in order to make sure that they are protected from old and new threats, they need to update their antivirus definitions as well as keep their systems up to date with the latest patches.

Consumers can visit Symantec’s Security Check to find out if there systems still have these threats on their PC’s at: www.symantec.com/securitycheck.

Internet users need to update their antivirus definitions to ensure that they are protected from these threats. It is also recommended that users update their operating systems and application programs to the current version to ensure a high level of protection.

For further information regarding these threats, please visit the Symantec Security Response: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/

About Symantec
Symantec, the world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security software and appliance solutions to individuals, enterprises and service providers. The company is a leading provider of client, gateway and server security solutions for virus protection, firewall and virtual private network, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, Internet content and e-mail filtering, remote management technologies and security services to enterprises and service providers around the world. Symantec’s Norton brand of consumer security products is a leader in worldwide retail sales and industry awards. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has worldwide operations in 38 countries. For more information, please visit www.symantec.com.

ENDS

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