Security boffins at anti-virus company Sophos have warned computer users to be on their guard against a new trojan.

Officially known as the JSRedir-R programme, it’s common name is the Gumblar.

And the Gumblar has been written with one aim in mind: to maliciously collect sensitive information and commit identity theft.

Sophos report that it is spreading rapidly around the net, at around six times faster that similar viruses.

JSRedir-R, or Gumblar, firstly infects poorly protected, but legimate websites, and uses them to springboard onto an unsuspecting user of that website. Once loaded onto a computer, the Gumblar opens up a back door and allows a hacker to take out personal and sensitive information, which it can then exploit to steal money.

Mr Graham Cluley, at Sophos, said:
“No-one should be in any doubt that the web is still the main vector of attack for cybercriminals, and this new threat suggests this situation isn’t going to change anytime soon. The problem is that too many computer users still think there’s no danger in surfing the web, but with legitimate sites often falling victim to these attacks, it’s time to wake up.

“Hackers won’t stop targeting the web as it’s proving a successful way for them to spread their infections. To combat this, it’s essential to scan every website for malicious code before visiting it.”

In a recent survey, it was discovered that almost 50% of the new malware found across the web were identified as the Gumblar. More worryingly was the speed of infection, with a new webpage getting infected every five seconds.

Sophos, along with a number of other computer security companies, have advised computer users to ensure that their anti-virus software is as up-to-date as possible.

Guest Article by Neil Camp