McAfee Reports 75 Million Unique Malware Samples in 2011

NetworkWorld: In its fourth quarter 2011 threat report, security vendor McAfee stated that it identified 75 million unique malware samples last year. The company says that fake antivirus software scams, which had been increasing, are now on the decline. Similarly, after a spike in activity in the second quarter, malware targeting Macs is becoming less common.

On the other hand, malware targeting mobile platforms, particularly Android, has been increasing. In the first three quarters, McAfee identified about 100 strains of mobile malware, but in the fourth quarter, that number jumped to 400. “Much of the Android malware has been for-profit SMS-sending Trojans, which benefit cybercriminals by hijacking phones to send messages that cost their owners money,” the company wrote.