While a good AntiVirus program is absolutely necessary, and popup blockers, spyware removers (like Ad-Aware and Spybot) are needed on a regular basis, there has been some decrease in activity for these kinds of malware. This is partly because enough people have, update, and run AV and AS programs that those forms have become more difficult to exploit. It is largely because other methods have been found to be more PROFITABLE.

In the currently most common kinds of "infections," there is very good evidence that the perpetrators are organized, professional, and highly skilled criminals. It is extremely difficult for an ordinary user even to detect that some of the malware in fairly widespread use is even on an individual computer, since "modern techniques" attempt to get you, via "phishing," to click something that directly or indirectly installs "an ordinary program" with no viral content on your machine. Since, by clicking, you effectively give permission for the "program" to be installed, no malware control program can do much to prevent it.

You are the "master" of your computer, and the anti-malware program must permit you to install any program you want to. The program cannot read your mind to know that you were tricked into clicking rather than knowingly intending to install.

The program - intentionally - may lie dormant so as to not affect normal operation of the computer until the installer - a "botmaster" - calls on it to launch a criminal activity that proceeds without your knowledge as a background process on your machine. Or it may just quietly gather your personal information for transmission - in short and "undetectable" messages to the criminal(s). These programs are only "useful" if they do NOT AFFECT your normal use of your computer, so that you don't suspect that they are there.

A recent summary of malware activity in 2007 is at What Will Go Wrong In 2008.

This is somewhat superficial summary, but is suggested reading for anyone who hasn't stayed up to date on current threats.

For reference: the top page of the "professional" blog where the article appears is at the Red Tape Chronicles.

1. You MUST HAVE, UPDATE, and RUN a good AntiVirus.

2. You SHOULD HAVE effective popup and phishing blockers.

3. You MUST NOT BE STUPID.

For next year, #3 becomes #1, although the other's can't be ignored.

John