74,000: Number of New Malware Strains That Hit Every Day

If you thought malware was becoming any less of a problem for the technology world, guess again. LifeLock has come out with a wonderful new inforgraphic that displays some mind boggling new statistics surrounding viruses and malware. While we have been working around the clock to help customers get protected and stay safe, for every system we harden, there are countless others that are breached.

You can have a look at the new infographic below, but here are some of the biggest highlights:

• There are 74,000 new pieces of malware that are released every single day, on average.
• Mobile malware increased 1200% in 2012 – astronomical by any comparison.
• 76% of all malware in 2012 was in the form of trojans.
• 32% of all PCs in the world are infected with some form of malware.

These numbers will definitely open your eyes. But you don’t have to be victim to the puzzling array of malware floating around on the web and across mobile devices today. There are a few common sense nuggets of information that you can heed in order to stay protected. We have been lauding these to our customers for years, and here are just a few of them:

• Ensure your PC or MAC has solid protection installed from ESET. It doesn’t matter what kind of computer you prefer. Both Apple and Windows systems are vulnerable to malware today. The product we recommend above all the rest is made by ESET, and there is a version for Windows machines called NOD32, with the MAC version coming under the moniker CyberSecurity. You can find easy links to each one on our Recommended Products page.
• Don’t click on suspicious links in emails; even if they are from friends. Spam writers are getting increasingly tricky in the way they delivery their junk messages. Knowing that people are more willing to open email from those they know, spam creators are hijacking swaths of computers worldwide to broadcast spam to address books far and wide. Think a message is safe just because it came from a colleague? Guess again. Use best judgement, rollover the link before you click on it, and ensure you have ESET protection installed before following email links.
• Don’t keep using that old Windows XP PC until it dies. We’ve been broadcasting information about the upcoming end of support for Windows XP by Microsoft for over a year now. Just because the machine turns on and functions, it doesn’t mean that you should continue kicking the stone down the road. Come April 2014, Microsoft will pull the plug on this aging operating system, meaning any new vulnerabilities after this date will not get patched and fixed any longer. This means that XP will become a minefield for viruses and malware, with new exploits bringing further pain to those who refuse to leave the outdated platform in lieu of Windows 7 or Windows 8.
• Think twice before installing illegal software. Customers ask us to install illegal programs from time to time, thinking that perhaps if we handle the process, it becomes any less illegal. Whatever the thought process may be, we will never condone this behavior not only because it is against the law, but also due to the fact that malware loves to hide out in opportunistic places like this. Save yourself the infections and opt for legal, paid software that is always checked by the manufacturer before it gets placed up to download sites or on discs. Trust us.

Need help with your technology security needs? Let us know. We have numerous security experts ready to help get you protected and secure in short order. Use the Contact form on the right side of our website, or just call us directly at 312-445-0702.