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False Security: Scareware Spreads

"…What started out as a small-scale racket to defraud computer users is becoming big business. Rogue antivirus programs — also known as "scareware" — had a banner year in 2008. A recent report published by Microsoft Corp. found that scareware infections increased 48% in the second half of 2008 compared with the previous six months, hitting nearly 8 million. One program turned up on 4.4 million unique computers, a 66.6% increase over the first half of the year, according to the report.

The Anti-Phishing Working Group, an industry association, said the number of scareware programs more than tripled from July to December 2008, to hit 9,287. Experts expect attacks by scareware purveyors to climb higher this year. "The reason is because they are making an awful lot of money," says Dave Marcus, director of security research and communications at McAfee Inc.’s McAfee Avert Labs." – Content courtesy of False Security: ‘Scareware’ Spreads – WSJ.com