Trojans – the most widespread malware in Q2 2007

Trojans represented 83 percent of the new malware that emerged in the second quarter of 2007, and 26 percent of the infections detected by ActiveScan, Panda Software’s online scanner, in the same period. This makes Trojans the cornerstone of the current malware model.

In 2006, Trojans represented 22 percent of the infections detected by ActiveScan, compared to the 33 percent corresponding to adware. However, during the first half of 2007, this trend has changed. Trojans have replaced adware as the malicious codes that cause the most infections. In the second quarter, Trojans were the most frequently detected malware on users’ computers.

Adware, which caused 24 percent of the infections detected by ActiveScan, was the second most damaging malware in the second quarter of 2007. Worms, with 9 percent and backdoors, with 5 percent, were the other malicious codes that caused the most infections.

As regards the new malware that appeared during the second quarter of the year, worms, with 8 percent of the total, and adware, with 5 percent, were the other two categories with a significant number of detections, although these figures are far behind the 83 percent corresponding to Trojans.

“There are many reasons why Trojans are spreading.  Above all because these malicious codes are ideal for stealing confidential data, which can then be used for financial gain, currently the main motivation of cyber-criminals,” explains Luis Corrons, Technical Director of PandaLabs.