The threateningStorm botnethas collapsed to just 5%
of its original size, while web-based malware has increased by
23.3%, according to theApril
intellligence reportof security software firm
MessageLabs.
The introduction of malicious software removal tools, which
target and remove Storm infections, is deemed responsible for the
sudden reduction in Storm-infected machines from an estimated two
million to around 100,000, said MessageLabs.
The decline in the size of the Storm botnet is evident from the
57% decrease in malware-laden e-mails it distributed during
April.
While the Storm botnet shrank, analysis of web-based malware
showed that 36.1% of attacks were new in April, an increase of
23.3% since March.
MessageLabs identified an average of 1,214 new websites a day
harbouring malware and other potentially unwanted programs, such as
spyware and adware, an increase of 619 a day compared with the
previous month, March.
"April was a month of unpredictability, with the mighty Storm
botnet losing all but 5% of its anonymous army, and web-based
malware reaching new levels," said Mark Sunner, chief security
analyst at MessageLabs.
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