In 2010 alone, 58.6 million computers in Vietnam were infected with viruses. This means that 160,000 computers were infection a day. Network security experts believe that it is  time to ring the alarm bell over the virus infections in Vietnam.

Experts said that 57,835 types of virus appeared in 2010. However, the type of virus which has been spreading the most is an old virus - W32.Conficker.Worm. This kind of virus once was very famous in 2008.  After that, people thought that it had disappeared. However, according to BKAV Network Security Company, 6.5 million computers were infected with Conficker in 2010.

Metamorphic viruses have been among the top three types of viruses which were spread in 2010 and it became an obsession of computer users in Vietnam. With the capability of “disguising themselves”, the two types of viruses Vetor and Sality were spread to 5.9 million computers. 

In the report updating data on computer virus infection released in late 2009, network security experts once warned that 2010 would be the year that witnessed a sharp increase of fake anti-virus programs (FakeAV). And this happened in reality. In 2010, 2.2 million computers got infected with the viruses forged as anti-virus programs, or 8.5 times higher than 258,000 computers in 2009. 

Enticing computer users to the fake virus-scanning websites in order to install malicious codes on computers is the common feature of FakeAVs. The main reason that it fools a lot of computer users in Vietnam is because of the habit of using unlicensed software products. Computer users, though having been warned by network security experts, still click on the links given on a webpage, even though they do not know where the links will lead them.  

Besides, 1.4 million computers have been found as infected with the viruses that faked folders, image files, word or excel files. By using icons to disguise themselves, the implemented files of the viruses looked like folders or image, word or excel files. This helped easily deceive computer users, including experienced experts, and made them open the virus-infected files. This explains why this new type of virus can still spread rapidly. 

DDoS attacks warned

In 2010, many big websites in Vietnam suffered from DDoS (distributed denial of service attack) attacks,a problem that has caused worry to society. 

Experts found out that some groups of hackers installed viruses which then penetrated  the network in Vietnam and stole valuable information from institutions. Besides, they also could control the websites that specialize in downloading software, in order to install viruses onto computers downloading software from the websites. This allowed them to manage bonnets to carry out DDoS attacks on big networks in Vietnam.

Experts have warned that this is really a serious problem because not only can big networks be attacked but tens of thousands of computers nationwide can be regulated by hackers, which will affect national security. 

Computer users have been warned to be very cautious when downloading software to their computers. They also need to regularly update antivirus software in order to timely prevent viruses. 

Experts say be careful with mobile phone network

Network security experts have warned that there will be many attacks on mobile phone networks in 2011. Malicious codes will be spread on mobile phones.

Rootkit may become a new trend when it becomes more popularized, not only the “tool” of experienced hackers. Metamorphic viruses will use new techniques to spread themselves having effects which may last many years.