Increasing Number of PCs Struck By ID Fraud Malware

Over 10 million internet users, and rising, are affected by personal information stealing malware. An increasing amount of computers around the world are infected with some type of active program that is designed to steal personal information which could be used for identity theft or fraud. Panda Security has estimated that over 10 million internet users were affected by identity fraud related malware last year and the rate is steadily increasing.

A study conducted by PandaLabs last year analyzed 67 million computers and found out that 35% of them utilized up-to-date antivirus software but was still infected by malware. This is very alarming to find that many antivirus programs are not protecting against information stealing malware.

Why is it an alarming rate of increasing ID Theft Malware?

New rogue applications as well as other parasites continue to plague the entire world. As the economy stays in a continual slump we start to see an increase in the activities of hackers spreading IT Theft Malware. It is believed by some that hackers are increasing their efforts so they can enjoy another payday at the expense of internet users who have fallen victim to their malware.

It is no doubt that ID Theft Malware, Banker Trojans and other malware infections are part of a serious epidemic that we must educate ourselves on. If we have any chance at combating the issues of Identity Theft then we must take action now. How can we do this you may ask. The first step would be keeping your computer software up to date and running a valid antivirus or antispyware application at all times. Although a great percentage of computers analyzed in PandaLabs study were infected with malware, despite that fact that they had up-to-date antivirus software, it is still a valid defense against infection. Also, avoid visiting suspicious websites or opening email messages with attachments from unknown senders is a great step. Each of these steps are recommended in keeping a safe and malware free computer system.

The rate of infection is expected to increase by an astonishing 336% per month throughout the rest of 2009. This statistic is based off of the previous months that PandaLabs studies were conducted in examining trends of malware that steals personal information.

Figure 1. ID Theft / Banker Trojans PCs infections - Number of Detections from Jan 2008 to what is expected in 2009 - Steady Increasing rate [source: Panda Security]

Shown in figure 1, Panda Security demonstrates the number of detections steadily increasing over the course of year 2008 into 2009. The red and blue lines indicate a correlation of Banker Trojans rising with the rate of ID Theft. It is obvious that the two work hand-in-hand. Is this enough to make you go crazy?

Is this enough information to make you take action to protect your computer so that you are not the next victim of ID theft or a malware infection on your computer? Do you fear that your personal information will get stolen through your current internet activities? Share your thoughts with us.