Security news
Security news7 January 1998
Sophos reports 40% increase in virus growth on last year
Companies should be on their guard now more than ever, according to the latest virus figures released by Sophos, anti-virus specialist.
Sophos has recorded a continuing increase in the number of new viruses throughout 1997. The total number of distinct viruses now stands at over 13,000 compared to 9,315 at this time last year. The most notable rise is the increase in macro viruses, which have doubled every six months for the last two years.
In an annual round-up of viruses, the high profile of macro viruses seems to have obscured the continuing and real threat of other variants. The traditional boot sector viruses, DOS program file infectors and batch infectors, parasitic DOS viruses, and the relatively new low-level Windows 95 viruses, all made their mark. The first native Windows NT virus, Cabanas, also emerged, in reports to Sophos, at the end of 1997.
"Macro viruses remain the big threat, but companies should remember that new viruses don't remove the risk of infection from older viruses," said Petra Merne, marketing manager at Sophos. "It's worrying for companies to see the number of viruses growing each year, but if comprehensive anti-virus protection measures are in place, the danger of virus infection is minimised."
For further details of viruses reported throughout 1997, please contact technical@sophos.com.
About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
