14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has struggled to make Windows more secure, and it looks like all these efforts are paying off, as the number of malware infections aimed at its operating system dropped substantially last year, according to a new research.
At the same time, macOS and Linux have been targeted more often, with Apple systems recording three times more attacks than in the previous years, security institute AV-TEST reveals.
Specifically, the number of malware programs targeting Windows increased by just 10 percent, while the number of forms of malware specifically created for Windows systems dropped by 13 percent.
While Windows remains the most widely attacked operating system, with 7 out of 10 new forms of malware aimed at Microsoft’s platform, Apple and Linux devices also recorded three times more attacks, the research shows.
The top Windows malware last year was Allaple, which has been active since at least 2006, followed by Virut, Ramnit, and Virlock. Despite ransomware attacks exploding this year with WannaCry and Petya, ransomware accounted for only 0.94 percent of all malware aimed at Windows last year, with viruses and worms leading the charts with 37.60 percent and 25.44 percent, respectively.
“The number of malware samples in 2016 declined by 15% compared to previous year. However, the fever curve rose again by 7% in the first quarter of 2017. At the time this report was concluded at the end of June 2017, there were already 600 million malware programs detected by AV-TEST targeting the frequently used operating system from Redmond,” the research reads.
macOS attacks
When it comes to macOS, Trojans were the biggest threat with 85.59 percent of the attacks, while ransomware accounted for just 0.07 percent.
“With an increase rate of over 370% compared to the previous year, it is no exaggeration to speak of explosive growth. However, it is also important to keep an eye on the overall number of malware programs with which criminals try to cheat Mac users: Whereas in 2015 there were a moderate 819 different malware threats targeting macOS, Apple users in 2016 already had to protect their devices from 3033 malware samples,” AV-TEST explains.
The top three macOS forms of malware last year were Flashback, MacControl, and Keranger.
