HTML/Malicious.PDF.Gen - Malicious PDF documents

Currently malicious PDF documents find their way into the mailboxes of internet users. They abuse a new security hole in Adobe Reader and Acrobat to infect the computer with malware.

Adobe is investigating the yet unknown security vulnerability. Avira users are already protected though: The antimalware solutions from the german IT security company detect the malicious PDF files generically without updates as HTML/Malicious.PDF.Gen.

When opened with the vulnerable Adobe programs, the PDF file injects code which downloads further malware. The embedded JavaScript in the document checks if the version of Adobe Reader is 8 or higher.

Autorun-Based Malware Tops BitDefender’s November Top Ten Threat Report

BUCHAREST, Romania – December 1, 2009 – BitDefender’s Top Ten Threat Report for November is topped by Trojan.AutorunInf.Gen. Trojan.AutorunInf.Gen, which came in second place on October’s list, is a generic family of malware abusing the Autorun feature in Microsoft Windows operating systems. By default, every removable storage device features an autorun.ini script that instructs the computer which file to execute when the medium is plugged in. Malware authors frequently tamper with the file to make it launch miscellaneous malicious applications.

Trojan.Clicker.CM moves down a spot, ranking second with nearly eight percent of total infections. Trojan.Clicker.CM is found on websites hosting illegal applications such as cracks, keygens and serial numbers for popular commercial software applications. Clicker.CM is used to force advertisements inside a user’s browser in order to boost advertisement revenue.

Autorun.inf - Virus USB FLASH DRIVES

Autorun can pose a security threat, when the user does not expect or intend to run the software, such as in the case of some viruses, which take advantage of this feature to propagate, especially on USB FLASH DRIVES.

For instance, an attacker with brief and casual physical access to a computer can surreptitiously insert a disc and cause software to run. Alternately, malicious software can be distributed with a disc that the user doesn't expect to contain software at all -- such as an audio compact disc. Even music CDs from well known name-brand labels have not always been safe.

HTTP Exploits - Malicious Programme

HTTP exploits involve using the Web server application to perform malicious activities. These attacks are very common and are growing in popularity because firewalls typically block most traffi c from the Internet to keep it away from corporate servers. However, HTTP traffic, used for Web browsing, is almost always allowed to pass through fi rewalls unhindered.

Thus, attackers have a direct line to the Web server. If they can coerce the Web server into performing malicious activities, they can access resources that would otherwise be unavailable.

WORMS

Worms are similar to viruses in that they re self replicating. They reproduce themselves across networks without human assistance, such as e-mail sending. A worm, though, doesn't need another executable program to be distributed.

Worms usually affect networks more than individual computers on the network. Their selfreplicating behavior can overload network resources, causing slowdowns in data
transmission by consuming massive bandwidth normally used to forward normal traffic.
Network systems that route Internet traffic are just specialized computer hardware and software. They, too, can be affected by malware.