Malware tops the million mark

From PCMag as repoted by BBC:
"Symantec is claiming, according to the BBC, that the number of malware samples "in circulation" has exceeded one million. It's party time if you sell anti-malware protection.

Viruses, trojan horses and other malware are like mutations. The vast majority die out without reproducing in any meaningful quantity. Symantec also says that the vast majority have been created in the last 12 months.

The Symantec report also goes into the nature of all that malware, none of which is big news: Trojans are often used as a toe-hold in order to deliver other malware, the underground which creates all this is increasingly professional, etc.

Not a whole lot of news, but it does give urgency to the need to move away from a signature-based anti-malware model." emphasis mine

BBC Article

Symantec Bi-annual Internet Threat Report

I know opinions vary re: signature based anti-malware. I still use an AV, and will continue to do so, at least until I reach a level (if ever) of knowledge where I'm comfortable without it.

 

Well, according to Bill Gates, the PC will be obsolete soon, so we won't have to worry about all of these hackers and malware floating around out there. Of course, then whatever replaces the PC may be targeted.