Ouch! 95% of Identified Malware Targets Windows
December 06, 2022
News
The Atlas VPN team released a report that 59.58 million new Windows malware was identified in the previous three quarters of 2022. This is a 95.6% of the entire malware uncovered in that time. With 30% of the global OS market share, Windows may be the most targeted because of the abundance of use.
Black Hats are going to be around, and they are going to find vulnerabilities no matter the OS system. There is some good news, when compared to the same time as last year, malware decreased by 34%. Although this is good news, the search for vulnerabilities in OS remains a war on all fronts.
Summary of Report:
- 59.58 million new Windows malware samples were detected in the first three quarters of 2022.
- New Windows malware threats make up a whopping 95.6% of all new malware discovered in the first three quarters of 2022.
- Linux malware is second on the list, with 1.76 million new malware samples.
- Android had 938,379 newly developed malware samples in Q1-Q3 of 2022.
- macOS had 8,329 newly developed malware samples in Q1-Q3 of 2022.
- A total of 62.29 million new malware samples were detected in the first three quarters of 2022 (it comes to about 228,164 threats daily).
- Compared to the same period last year, the total number of new malware has decreased by 34%.
The Atlas VPN team has pointers to protect ourselves and our assets:
Do Not:
- Open unknown links or attachments that might download malware into your device;
- Download apps from third-party sources and unofficial websites, as they might already be infected with malware;
- Leave your devices unattended or lend them out, as attackers can install malware by physically interacting with your device, for instance, with an infected USB drive.
Must Dos:
- Use reputable anti-virus software to protect your devices;
- Update your software as soon as possible to patch any vulnerabilities that might be left;
- Enable the SafeBrowse feature when using Atlas VPN, as it helps to block malicious websites and pop-ups from loading.
Chad Cox. Production Editor, Embedded Computing Design, has responsibilities that include handling the news cycle, newsletters, social media, and advertising. Chad graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in Cultural and Analytical Literature.
