By Tony Dennis
29 December 2008, 12:09

THERE'S A growing threat to Android and Apple handsets, says security specialist, ESET. It is also predicting a rise in Windows malware. These including proof-of-concept attacks and attacks against Webkit-based browsers found in Iphone and Google Android based handsets.

Following the INQ's own exposé of the increasing prevalence of malware here, ESET has released its own Top Ten ways to protect against malware. In the Number One spot is disabling the Autorun feature in Windows. Other tips include logging onto the Net as an ordinary user and not as the administrator. ESET is also predicting that hackers will build on the current ability to extort money from innocent surfers through fake anti-virus products.

A favourite trick is to spoof a real anti-virus company. According to Dave Harley, director of malware intelligence with ESET, some hackers "are introducing rudimentary 'real' detection into the product, blackening vendor reputations in public forums, and threatening legal action against real security vendors and others who might expose them."

Presently ESET is amassing over a gigabyte of new fake anti-virus samples per day on its web site -Threatsense.net - which collates data from around 10 million systems globally.