Symantec sees surge in morphing malware and JavaScript abuse

Proving that most malicious hackers are more than happy to employ time-tested tactics instead of developing sophisticated new techniques and tools, Symantec has reported a huge spike in generic polymorphic malware (malware that changes shape to bypass detection) spread via good old fashioned socially engineered email messages.

That's not to say that the bad guys aren't innovating at all: "Symantec's Intelligence Report: September 2011" (PDF) noted a new social engineering twist to get users to download dangerous attachments: convincingly masking malicious emails as legitimate messages sent from office printers. The security company also has witnessed more spammers and malware authors using JavaScript to hide their activities.

Generic polymorphic malware variants accounted for 72 percent of all email-borne malware in September, compared with 18.5 percent in August and 23.7 percent in July. "This unprecedented high-water mark underlines the nature by which cyber criminals have escalated their assault on businesses in 2011, fully exploiting the weaknesses of more traditional security countermeasures," wrote Paul Wood, senior intelligence analyst at Symantec.