AhnLab Reports Region-Specific Malicious Codes and Trojans as Top Online Security Threats for 1Q 2011

SEOUL, South Korea, April 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

    
    -- ASEC Report details region-specific variants of well-known malicious
       codes
    -- Most reported malicious code rankings dominated by Trojans
    -- Other trend findings describe soaring rise of Android malware and more
    -- AhnLab's cutting edge solutions include AOS to protect against ZeuS

Region-specific malicious codes and Trojans pose the top threat to online security, today, according to AhnLab Inc. (http://www.ahnlab.com), a leading provider of integrated security solutions. In the April issue of the ASEC Report (available now), the AhnLab Security Emergency Response Center details major security trends for the first quarter of 2011.

Region-Specific Malicious Codes

Instead of a generic, one-size-fits-all approach, variants of malicious codes are increasingly being built for different regions according to the ASEC Report. During the first quarter of 2011, variants of well-known malicious codes including Conficker, Bredolad, Autorun, Virut, and Sality were reported in multiple countries. Additionally, rogue antivirus programs, appearing in a user's local language, were also widely reported. These programs trick users into believing their PC's have multiple infections that can only be removed by purchasing fake fixes. Based on a user's location, the graphical user interface of these programs is automatically translated to the local language adding to their apparent authenticity.

Trojans Rank as Most Reported Malicious Code

Based on a sampling study of users in Korea, Trojan remains the most reported malicious code at 53.1%, followed by worm at 12.3% and script at 8.4%. Trojan was also the most reported among new malicious codes at 85%, followed by adware at 7% and dropper at 4%.

The top five most reported malicious code (and code variant) categories include Trojans such as: Win-Trojan/Overtls15.Gen, Win-Trojan/Patched.CR, Win-Trojan/Onlinegamehack, Win-Trojan/Downloader, Win-Trojan/Agent, and Win-Trojan/Winsoft.

The most reported new malicious code was Win-Trojan/Overtls15.Gen (618,379 reports/17.2%), followed closely by Win-Trojan/Patched.CR (581,656/13%) and Win-Trojan/Overtls11.Gen (570,302/12.7%).

ASEC Report Provides Invaluable Resource

The April edition of the ASEC Report, which runs over 40 pages, includes a wealth of security research information including: malicious code statistics, detailed descriptions of new malicious codes, and Microsoft (MS) vulnerabilities. The report covers both the entire first quarter, as well as a separate section devoted to trends exclusively in March.

"Threats to online security are ever changing and becoming more sophisticated," said Mr. Hongsun Kim, CEO of AhnLab. "As such, the need to remain a step ahead of cyber criminals and attackers has never been more critical. The most recent ASEC report provides a wealth of information on the latest online security trends so interested parties can keep informed, alert, and ultimately protected."

The report highlights several interesting new malicious codes discovered by ASEC during the quarter including: Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), multi-language malware, and malware able to bypass cloud antivirus systems. Android malware is also emphasized as a high cause for alarm with numbers soaring during the first quarter of 2011. Malicious codes targeting Microsoft (MS) vulnerabilities, specifically related to the Windows Graphics Rendering Engine and Internet Explorer, are also described in detail by the ASEC Report.

For a full copy of the ASEC Report and more details regarding AhnLab's findings, users can visit: http://global.ahnlab.com/en/site/threat/asec/asecReportList.do

Advanced Solutions Including AOS to Protect Against Zeus

A leader in comprehensive online security, AhnLab is acclaimed, for among other products, its real-time internet banking solutions. As threats grow in sophistication, online banking users are particularly susceptible to the much publicized ZeuS virus, which steals user information during financial transactions. AhnLab offers integrated, comprehensive protection against ZeuS through its innovative AOS (AhnLab Online Security, http://aos.ahnlab.com) security solution which received widespread attention from industry experts attending the Banking Security Conference in Poland in March 2011. AOS' advanced approach to internet banking security is proven to provide stalwart defense against ZeuS and other malicious codes.

About AhnLab, Inc.

Headquartered in South-Korea, AhnLab Inc. (KSE: 053800) develops industry-leading security solutions and provides professional services that are designed to secure and protect critical business and personal information. As a leading innovator in the information security arena since 1988, AhnLab's cutting edge products and services have been fulfilling the stringent security requirements of both enterprises and individual users. AhnLab's products and services include anti-virus solutions, network, mobile and online game security, security management and consulting services. All solutions provide 24/7 real-time detection and prevention of malicious codes and hacking attacks through AhnLab's emergency response centers including ASEC (AhnLab Security Emergency Response Center) and CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team). AhnLab has been growing steadily in terms of both market share and revenue, recording USD 54 million in sales in 2009. Today, AhnLab boasts a network of sales and research operations in more than 20 countries worldwide.

    
    Media Contact:
    AhnLab, Inc.
    Corporate Communications
    Changmin Song
    +82.2.2186.7955
    seemefly@ahnlab.com