Malware Growth Increasing to Alarming Rates With No Signs of a Slowdown

Studies show that the growth of Malware is increasing to the point where it creates a serious challenge for companies that produce anti-malware products to keep up.

An independent testing group based out of Germany has been maintaining malware collections for the purpose of testing anti-malware products over the past few years. The data on collection of malware is a clear indication of the growth rate and AV-Test.org, the German testing group, was able to compile this information and put it into a graph form.

[image source: av-test.org]

For demonstration purposes, the graphs showing new unique samples added to AV-Test.org’s malware collection, reinforces the suggestion of malware rapidly spreading and increasing at an alarming rate.

[image source: av-test.org]

AV-Test.org was also able to demonstrate the total size and growth of the malware collection. If you look closely, then you will notice a steep climb of the red line. This shows that the growth of malware has already increased double-fold from just 3 years ago. The likelihood of a company that produces and markets security tools to combat malware to lag behind the hackers that create this malware is very common.

Do you foresee the hackers having a major advantage over security firms or the software that is used to detect and remove malware parasites? Will it get out of control or is it already too late?