Flash drives fingered for virus spread

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 15 Jun 2009 at 11:20

Virus writers are increasingly taking advantage of the popularity of USB flash drives to spread malicious code, warns a security firm.

The high storage capacity, portability and autorun features of these drives is allowing malicious executables to spread to more and more machines.

Two thirds of the malicious code in EMEA is now spread via executable files, according to Symantec's Internet Security Threat Report. This is up a third from the previous year.

"Just as hackers and malicious software writers of the eighties and early nineties once used simple executable files on floppy discs to propagate their wares, so too now they are using the same code on removable USB devices to spread malware from unsuspecting user to user," Symantec claims in statement.

The four highest profile viruses to use this method currently are Mabezat, SillyFDC, Sality, and Gammima, claims Symantec.

The firm suggests disabling autorun and setting up antivirus software to automatically scan connected drives.

Microsoft announced last week that it would soon be releasing a beta version of its free antivirus package, codenamed Morro.