Spyware is likely to replace mass mailing worms as the biggest security threat facing business in 2005, says a recent Gartner report.
The research company predicts spyware will be the single biggest IT security complaint over the next 12 to 18 months.
"Spyware has risen to the top of many PC users` lists as one of the most vexing challenges they face today," says Colin Erasmus, Microsoft SA`s technology security manager. "2005 will definitely experience a rapid increase in spyware on the Web.
"With equal parts of security threat, privacy threat and nuisance, this emerging class of software has risen quickly from obscurity, to ubiquity."
According to Gartner, even the best anti-spyware scanning applications are not capable of detecting and removing all the critical files associated with malicious code installation.
The Gartner report states that spyware authors use "tricklers" to reinstall spyware components if they are removed. Even when the registry key entries have been removed, the programs reinstall themselves.
Erasmus agrees with Gartner`s assessment. "There is no 'silver-bullet` solution to the spyware problem or to any security issue. Microsoft`s approach to the issue includes technology innovation, consumer guidance, industry collaboration, co-operation with legislators and law enforcement.
"Currently more than one-third of the application crashes reported to Microsoft are caused by spyware and other unwanted software," says Erasmus.
"Microsoft has released the beta for Windows AntiSpyware, which will scan a customer`s PC to locate or block known spyware and other software threats. The tool is available to users of Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. We invite our customers to download the tool, and the feedback we get will help us decide our next steps."
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