IT in Manufacturing


Autorun-based malware tops BitDefender’s November Top Ten Threat Report

December 2009 IT in Manufacturing

Trojan.AutorunInf.Gen moves out of second place to take the lead.

BitDefender’s Top Ten Threat Report for November is topped by Trojan.AutorunInf.Gen. Trojan.AutorunInf.Gen, which came in second place on October’s list, is a generic family of malware abusing the Autorun feature in Microsoft Windows operating systems. By default, every removable storage device features an autorun.ini script that instructs the computer which file to execute when the medium is plugged in. Malware authors frequently tamper with the file to make it launch miscellaneous malicious applications.

Trojan.Clicker.CM moves down a spot, ranking second with nearly 8% of total infections. Trojan.Clicker.CM is found on websites hosting illegal applications such as cracks, keygens and serial numbers for popular commercial software applications. Clicker.CM is used to force advertisements inside a user’s browser in order to boost advertisement revenue.

Coming in third on this month’s threat report is Win32.Worm.Downadup.Gen.  Responsible for almost 6% of global infections, Win32.Worm.Downadup.Gen relies on the Microsoft Windows Server Service RPC Handling Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (MS08-67) in order to spread onto other computers in the local network. It also restricts users’ access to Windows Update and security vendor websites. Newer variants of the Downadup worm install rogue antivirus applications, among others.

Trojan.Wimad takes fourth place with over 5% of global infections. Trojan.Wimad exploits the capability of ASF files to automatically download the appropriate codec from a remote location in order to deploy infected binary files on the host system.

Exploit.PDF-JS.Gen is a generic detection for specially crafted PDF files which exploit different vulnerabilities found in Adobe PDF Reader's Javascript engine in order to execute malicious code on a user's computer. Upon opening an infected PDF file, a specially crafted Javascript code triggers the download of malicious binaries from remote locations. Exploit.PDF-JS.Gen comes in fifth with 3,23% of the global infections.

Win32.Sality.OG ranks sixth with 2,57% of the infections triggered globally. Win32.Sality.OG is a polymorphic file infector that appends its encrypted code to executable files (.exe and .scr binaries). In order to hide its presence on the infected machine, it deploys a rootkit and attempts to kill antivirus applications installed locally.

The seventh spot BitDefender’s November Top Ten Threat Report goes to Trojan.Autorun.AET, a malicious code spreading via the Windows shared folders, as well as through removable storage devices. Trojan.Autorun.AET exploits the Autorun feature implemented in Windows for automatically launching applications when an infected storage device is plugged in.

Worm.Autorun.VHG is an Internet/network worm that exploits the Windows MS08-067 vulnerability in order to execute itself remotely using a specially crafted RPC (remote procedure call) package. This approach is also used by Win32.Worm.Downadup. Worm.Autorun.VHG ranks eight with 1,59% of global infections.

Trojan.Inject.RA is a password-stealing Trojan that mostly targets Lineage II computer players. This specific variant has a keylogging component that intercepts users’ keystrokes and sends them to a remote attacker via HTTP or SMTP protocols.

Trojan.Downloader.Bredolab.AZ rounds out the list in tenth place with 1,20% of globally infected systems. Disguised as a Microsoft Word document, the Trojan drops a DLL file and registers it as a Browser Helper Object. Trojan.Downloader.Bredolab.AZ monitors users’ keyboard input via a keylogging component and sends the data to a website located in Russia.

BitDefender’s November 2009 Top 10 E-Threat list includes:

1 Trojan.AutorunINF.Gen 8,45

2 Trojan.Clicker.CM 7,87

3 Win32.Worm.Downadup.Gen 5,62

4 Trojan.Wimad.Gen.1 5,00

5 Exploit.PDF-JS.Gen 3,23

6 Win32.Sality.OG 2,57

7 Trojan.Autorun.AET 2,05

8 Worm.Autorun.VHG 1,59

9 Trojan.Inject.RA 1,45

10 Trojan.Downloader.Bredolab.AZ 1,20

Others 60,97

For more information contact Alina Anton, senior PR & marketing coordinator, EMEA & APAC Business Unit, BitDefender, +40 212 063 470, [email protected], www.bitdefender.com





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

PC-based control regulates innovative dehumidifiers
Beckhoff Automation IT in Manufacturing
The Swedish company Airwatergreen AB is breaking new ground in the dehumidification of air in industrial buildings and warehouses. PC-based control from Beckhoff regulates the innovative process.

Read more...
Harnessing AI and satellite imagery to estimate water levels in dams
IT in Manufacturing
Farmers and water managers often struggle to accurately estimate and monitor the available water in dams. To address the challenge, International Water Management Institute researchers have worked with Digital Earth Africa to create an innovation that uses satellite images and AI to get timely and accurate dam volume measurements.

Read more...
Why industry should enter the world of operator training simulators
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
System-agnostic operator training simulator (OTS) software is a somewhat unsung hero of industry that trains plant operators in a virtual world that mirrors real-world operations. The benefits are multiple.

Read more...
Track busway for scalable data centre power delivery
IT in Manufacturing
The latest generation Legrand Data Centre Track Busway technology addresses the operational pressures facing today’s high-density, AI-intensive computing environments and is being well received by data centre facilities around the world.

Read more...
Poor heat management in data centre design
IT in Manufacturing
Designing a world-class data centre goes beyond simply keeping servers on during load shedding; it is about ensuring they run efficiently, reliably, and within the precise environmental conditions they were built and designed for.

Read more...
It’s time to fight AI with AI in the battle for cyber resilience
IT in Manufacturing
Cybercrime is evolving rapidly, and the nature of cyber threats has shifted dramatically. Attacks are now increasingly powered by AI, accelerating their speed, scale and sophistication. Cybersecurity needs to become part of business-critical strategy, powered by AI to match attackers’ speed with smarter, faster and more adaptive defences.

Read more...
Why AI sustainability must be a boardroom priority
IT in Manufacturing
As South African companies race to harness artificial intelligence for innovation and growth, few are asking the most critical question - the environmental cost.

Read more...
RS South Africa shines spotlight on MRO procurement
RS South Africa IT in Manufacturing
RS South Africa has highlighted the growing pressures faced by procurement professionals responsible for maintenance, repair and operations supplies across the country’s vital economic sectors.

Read more...
Sustainable energy management
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Utilising its innovative ONE approach technology, Siemens provides complete transparency on resource consumption and offers data-driven optimisation recommendations for sustainable energy management.

Read more...
Paving the way for a carbon-neutral future in South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
At ABB Electrification, we believe the infrastructure of the future must do more than support daily operations, it must anticipate them. We are committed to building intelligent systems that connect and optimise infrastructure across sectors.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved