G DATA Malware Research Shows PC Gamers Are Once Again in the Sights of Cyber Bandits : the Number of Infected P2P Files for PC Games is Shockingly High
Infinite Business Limited | 24 Jul 2008
Which is why cyber criminals have increasingly been targeting gamers over the last twelve months. The number of malware programs, which steal the passwords and access data for online games, has increased constantly and has long since surpassed the number of banking Trojans.
Also especially dangerous for PC gamers: the downloading of cheats and game add-ons from P2P file sharing services.
Gamers are keen visitors to these sites in their quest for “cheat files” or other add-ons for PC games. The figures from the latest analyses show that there has in fact been a slight decrease, nevertheless the number of infected files, at 63.7 % in the second quarter of 2008, still represents an extremely high level.
Alongside P2P file sharing services, some of the worst culprits when it comes to malware infection, are the online gamers themselves. Many players deactivate the firewall for the duration of the game session or go without any form of internet security package on their computers.
Target group online gamers
Online gamers have everything needed to set the heart of the online criminal pounding: high-end PCs, long online times, quick DSL connections and frequently deactivated security solutions or non-updated security packages.
Development of malware code in P2P file sharing services in the second quarter of 2008:
Total checked: 1000 gaming files from eMule and other P2P file sharing services (top 20 of PC games sales charts)
Infections: 637 of 1000 samples contaminated with malware.
Fraction as a percent: 63.7% of all cheats, patches, wall hacks or other gaming files are thus primed with malware.
Malware top five found in gaming files on P2P file sharing services for the top 20 games:
1. 32.6% Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Bagle.qv
2. 15.1% P2P-Worm.Win32.P2PAdware.a
3. 9.3% P2P-Worm.Win32.Padonak.b
4. 8.3% Trojan-Dropper.Win32.Peerad.a
5. 3.1% P2P-Worm.Win32.Kapucen.b
Development over the last twelve months:
3rd quarter 2007: 30 percent
4th quarter 2007: 53 percent
1st quarter 2008: 65 percent
2nd quarter 2008: 63.7 percent
Detailed descriptions of the malware found on P2P file sharing services:
1. Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Bagle.qv
- Is the P2P version of the Bagle worm. It loads other malware, amongst others an email address collector and a backdoor (botnet).
2. P2P-Worm.Win32.P2PAdware.a
- Displays adverts, simulates, amongst others, a virus attack on the computer and recommends that the computer be scanned with bogus anti-spyware software. Thereafter the user is invited to a web page, which invites the user to purchase the "full version" and then elicits his or her credit card details.
3. P2P-Worm.Win32.Padonak.b
- Installs itself as a service on the infected machine so that it loads with every system start-up. It then searches the computer for directories of file sharing programs and copies itself with a new name as a ZIP or RAR archive file into these directories so that it can be further spread.
4. Trojan-Dropper.Win32.Peerad.a
- Loads further components from a server of the malware author and installs these on the system.
Contacts advert servers and thus generates clicks, which earn money for the author.
5. P2P-Worm.Win32.Kapucen.b
- Installs itself as a service on the infected machine so that it loads with every system start-up. It then searches the computer for directories of file sharing programs and copies itself with a new name as a ZIP or RAR archive file into these directories so that it can be further spread.
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www.ultimateinternetsecurity.com
www.infinitebusiness.co.uk
Notes to the Editor:
About Infinite Business Limited - The UK's exclusive distributor of G DATA products – Formed in 2005, the company is based in the heart of Guildford, a city well known for its connections to the PC software market. Boasting 25-years’ combined sector experience, the company is in an excellent position to make a big impact in the UK. As malware evolves, becoming more and more intelligent, Infinite is confident, following conclusive testing*, that the G DATA suite of PC security solutions will quickly outwit viruses, hackers and other malicious software faster than any of the competition.
About G DATA Software AG - G DATA Software AG is an innovative, fast-growing software house specialising in IT security solutions. As a specialist in Internet security and pioneer in the field of virus protection, the company, founded in 1985, developed the first anti-virus program over 20 years ago. In the past five years, no other European security software manufacturer has won more national and international licences and awards than G DATA.
Our products use the world's best security technology, emphatically underlining G DATA Software AG's quality leadership. This includes for example the DoubleScan engine, which uses two independent virus scanners to achieve the highest identification rates, or the OutbreakShield immediate protection system that can instantly recognise and attack viruses in mass emails even before updated virus signatures for them are available.
The G DATA product offering extends from security solutions for private users to protection for small, medium and large company networks.
G DATA security solutions are currently available in 16 countries worldwide. The company is headquartered in Bochum (Germany).
Media Contact:
Neil Cotton – T: 01773 599120 or M: 07962 039 469
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