Malware costs Vietnam $900 mln
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Malware caused Vietnamese users damage worth VND20.89 trillion ($900.8 million) last year, up 40 percent year-on-year.
The surge came with the rising number of computers contaminated with malware from advanced persistent threats (APT), according to a report released Thursday by Vietnam’s cybersecurity firm BKAV.
The number of computers infected with malware rose 3.5 percent year-on-year to 85.2 million in 2019. This means 57.7 percent of computers nationwide were infected.
Increasing virus infections occurred via email, from 4 percent of the 2018 total to 20 percent last year.
Another reason for the high contamination is Vietnamese users’ habit of downloading files without checking the authenticity. Eight out of 10 computers were infected with malware because of this behavior, the report stated.
Rising threats resulted in 1.8 million computers losing data last year, up 12 percent from 2018.
A large-scale foreign attack last year saw the hack of devices via manipulation of weak passwords.
The attack caused 420,000 computers to be infected with dangerous W32. Fileless malware, which BKAV experts say have “invisibility” as it does not leave behind traces on hardware like other malware.
BKAV forecast malware would become increasingly dangerous this year as hackers use them for financial benefits, like accessing bank accounts.
Questions & Answers
Q.What was the total financial impact of malware on Vietnamese users last year?
What was the total financial impact of malware on Vietnamese users last year?
Malware caused Vietnamese users damage worth VND20.89 trillion, which is equivalent to $900.8 million. This represents a 40 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Q.What proportion of computers in Vietnam were infected with malware in 2019?
What proportion of computers in Vietnam were infected with malware in 2019?
In 2019, 85.2 million computers were infected with malware, an increase of 3.5 percent year-on-year. This means 57.7 percent of all computers across the country were affected.
Q.What were the main causes for the high number of malware infections?
What were the main causes for the high number of malware infections?
Increased virus infections occurred via email, rising from 4 percent of the 2018 total to 20 percent last year. Also, 8 out of 10 computers were infected due to users downloading unauthenticated files.
Q.How did a large-scale foreign attack contribute to infections last year?
How did a large-scale foreign attack contribute to infections last year?
A major foreign attack targeted devices through weak passwords. This incident led to 420,000 computers becoming infected with the dangerous W32.Fileless malware, which is difficult to detect.
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