'Security software' is virus: Microsoft

SAN FRANCISCO: Hackers are increasingly hiding viruses in bogus computer security software to trick people into installing treacherous programmes  on machines, Microsoft warned, reports AFP.

The software giant said in a security intelligence report, released twice annually, that "rogue security software" is a growing threat as hackers take advantage of people's fears of worms such as the notorious Conficker.

Two "rogue families" of scareware were detected in 1.5 million computers, according to Microsoft. Another form of scareware was found on 4.4 million computers, a rise of 66 per cent from the previous six-month period. Scareware infections are expected to soar in the first six months of this year because of massive hype regarding Conficker.

The Conficker worm's April 1st trigger date came and went without the bedeviling computer virus causing any mischief but security specialists warn that the threat is far from over.

A task force assembled by Microsoft has been working to stamp out Conficker, also referred to as DownAdUp, and the software colossus has placed a bounty of $250,000 on the heads of those responsible for the threat.

The worm, a self-replicating programme, can infect machines from the Internet or by hiding on USB memory sticks carrying data from one computer to another, the report adds.