40% of all computers adware infected!

General Topics
1

Hi malware fighters,

Nearly 40% of all computers are adware infected, this is reported by Trend Micro’s. Via their online HouseCall scanner the av vendor scanned 275.000 Windows PCs in 20 countries. Adware was found on near 40% of those. This was the only increase in the “grayware” category. The number of track ware, software to track surfing habits, and BHO’s, like tool bars, went down considerably. The number of browser hijackers with 0,2% is nearly minimal now. According to Trend Micro’s findings the high percentage of adware is because this form of “advertising” is still very profitable.

Where crimeware is concerned in three of the four categories the total number went down. Still approx. 16% of all PC’s are infected with so-called “hacking tools”, a varied collection of “malware allsorts” like remote access Trojans and bots. The number of key loggers and freeloaders, malicious software that comes bundled with other programs also went down with more than 3%.

polonus

2

The title is somewhat misleading/incorrect/alarmist as it isn’t 40% of ‘ALL’ computers, but 40% of the 275,000 computers housecall scanned, a huge difference.

3

Hi DavidR,

I have made the heading more specific. One thing to reassure you the adware was not on your computer ;D
But alarmist or not, these data are alarming…

polonus

4

I don’t think the fact that 40% of those scanned were infected is alarmist unless it is used by someone like Trend to try and use it as a tool to sell their products.

What surprises me is that as many were infected as those infected in the real world I would suggest are oblivious to their infection and as such wouldn’t visit Trend.

5

I hope tracking cookies are not being considered adware…
Like David, 40% of scanned computers could not be that much.
But, in fact, I think in real life could be even more. People who search for on-line scanning are much less than the actually infected.