15 Apr 2009

Bogus applications 'a significant threat' to firms

Companies are being warned of the dangers of downloading applications which may damage computers.

Microsoft says organisations should be wary of rogue software which may contaminate systems and lead to data theft and system crashes.

The company says recent incidents such as the Conficker scare may have prompted many people to look for a security solution and unknowingly download malware.

Rogue software, or scareware, is the number one threat to companies worldwide, Microsoft states in a recent security report.

"The rogue software lures them into paying for protection that, unknown to them, is actually malware offering little or no real protection, and is often designed to steal personal information," the document reveals.

Microsoft recommends users take advantage of its Security Assessment Tool, which identifies weaknesses in a company's IT infrastructure and prioritises a list of issues.

The report concludes that lost or stolen equipment still represents a significant proportion of data theft incidents, which may boost the need to enhance computer security.