More Zeus Banking Trojan Attacks

• Earlier this month, AVG's web security reports that the Mumba botnet used the Zeus banking trojan to infect 55,000 more PCs around the world, stealing bank account details and credit card numbers. See: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/02/muamba_botnet_infiltrated/ 

• In February 2010, a Virginia network forensics company, reported Zeus attacks involving 74,00 PC's in 10 federal agencies, 2,500 companies and a number of Fortune 500 firms in the financial, energy and technology industries. See:  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/18/massive_hack_attack/ 

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From: ArsTechnical.com

One would think that Microsoft users would be rushing down to their local computer store looking for the latest and greatest (and certainly a more secure) computer operating system, but that's really not the case. Ars Technica has the numbers and graphs to show just how resistant Microsoft users are to change. In July 2010, 62 percent of Microsoft users are still using Windows XP, but Windows 7 by rising to 14.5 percent has passed Windows Vista at 14.3 percent of computer users. Macintosh users comprise 5.1 percent of the OS market share and Linux (all varients) rolled back to a 0.93 percent share. Check out additional graphs and the full report at: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/08/windows-7-overtakes-windows-vista.ars

If you are one of 62 percent of the Microsoft faithful who are still using Windows XP and for good reasons still don't wish to upgrade your older computer right away, help is available. Fred Langa, senior editor of the Windows Secrets Newsletter, has an extensive checklist of things you can do to extend XP's usefulness on your existing older hardware for a long time. The list doesn't have to be completed all in one sitting. Instead, it's arranged in a logical fashion and with a little TLC and patience you can extend your computer's long-term health even further. If you're really serious about keeping your Windows XP system, see: http://www.windowssecrets.com/2010/08/12/01-Preparing-Windows-XP-for-the-long-haul

No less an authority than PC World stirs the security soup by pointing out that Linux's open source software is inherently more secure than Windows for small business owners and others like schools and local governments who can't affort a large IT security staff. The fact that fewer people use Linux and Linux's inherent diversity makes a less attractive target for the people who write malware is only part of the answer. PC World's Business Center looks at the PC security issue at: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/202452/why_linux_is_more_secure_than_windows.html

Maybe Linux users should just be thankful that Microsoft complacent customers have become a gigantic "honey pot" that keeps the bad guys with the malware focused on the much larger Windows market and less on Macintosh and Linux systems. At the end of the XP's life span, please stay as safe and secure as you can.