Sophos has published the most prevalent malware threats and hoaxes causing problems for computer users around the world during November 2006.

The figures, compiled from Sophos's global network of monitoring stations, show that the Stratio-Zip worm has overtaken Netsky-P as the most widely circulated piece of malware, accounting for one third of the total number of reports.

On the launch date of Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, it is noticeable that three of the top ten - including Stratio-Zip - are capable of bypassing the product's security defences and infecting users' PCs. The Vista-resistant malware - Stratio-Zip, Netsky-D and MyDoom-O - comprise 39.7 per cent of all malware currently circulating.

The top ten list of malware in November 2006 reads as follows:

1. Stratio-Zip - 33.3 per cent
   
2. Netsky-P - 15.6 per cent
   
3. Bagle-Zip - 6.1 per cent
   
4. Zafi-B - 4.3 per cent
   
5. Netsky-D - 3.9 per cent
   
6. Nyxem-D - 2.5 per cent
   
7. MyDoom-O - 2.5 per cent
   
8. Mytob-C - 2.4 per cent
   
9. Sality-AA - 1.8 per cent (new entry)
   
10. Zafi-D - 1.7 per cent

Others - 25.9 per cent

Sophos tested each piece of malware in the top ten on the Vista operating system to establish whether users running Vista without any third-party security software would avoid infection.

The results showed that while the Windows Mail email client (Vista's upgrade of Outlook) was able to identify and halt all of the threats, Stratio-Zip, Netsky-D and MyDoom-O - each of which are commonly disseminated via email - were able to bypass the defences when accessed via a third-party web email client. This represents a serious issue for businesses who allow employees to access their personal email at work, as well as for companies that are considering adopting an alternative email client.

The proportion of infected email continues to remain low, at just one in 357 (0.28 per cent), while during November Sophos identified a record number of new threats - 7,612 - bringing the total number of malware protected against to 201,433.

The top ten hoaxes and chain letters in November 2006 were as follows:

1. Hotmail hoax - 7.7 per cent
   
2. Olympic torch - 7.2 per cent
   
3. Budweiser frogs screensaver - 6.3 per cent
   
4. Parcel Delivery Service scam - 4.9 per cent
   
5. A virtual card for you - 4.1 per cent
   
6. Bonsai kitten - 3.7 per cent
   
7. Justice for Jamie - 3.0 per cent
   
8. MSN is closing down - 2.8 per cent
   
9. Meninas da Playboy - 2.7 per cent
   
10. Applebees Gift Certificate - 2.7 per cent

Others - 54.9 per cent

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www.sophos.com

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