Legitimate commercial antivirus applications are able to quickly detect fake downloadable antivirus software. This pushed authors of the fake antivirus to move their applications online; instead of having to download the full software users only need to click on specific sites to get infected.

ADWARE ON THE RISE

Annoying adware also tops the list of web-based threats for December 2010. The adware AdWare.Win32.HotBar.dh took 5th place in Kaspersky Lab's Top 20 malicious applications. Unfortunately, this particular adware is installed along with legitimate applications. It then displays intrusive ads that keep annoying users of affected PCs.

.?? ATTACKS

Since its release in November last year, attacks on the new domain name registration .?? (the Cyrillic abbreviation for the Russian Federation) have also somewhat risen in December.