Lock up your computer, the viruses are coming!

Lock up your computer, the viruses are coming!

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"Warning! Your computer has been infected!"
This alarming statement suddenly appeared on Edi's computer
screen just a second after he clicked a "yes" button on a website
providing information on how to illegally download games and
serial numbers for computer programs.

Naughty Edi, 27, got his just desserts for his futile attempt
to get his hands on a freebie and had to spend more than two
hours reformating his computer's hard disk and reinstalling
Windows after the virus attack caused a malfunction in his
computer.

"I believe that it was the adware virus, which frequently
attacks Internet users," said game-freak Edi, who works in an
advertising firm.

As for Anita, a 22-year-old university student, being attacked
by an unknown computer virus was a traumatic experience.

Anita said the virus damaged the revised thesis her professor
had sent her e-mail.

"Since the virus was local, I had to download a special
antivirus program from the antivirus magazine website," she said.

In line with the development of information and communications
technology, various computer viruses -- boot sector, file-based,
mass-mailer and network viruses -- are targeting new victims who
are frequent Internet browsers.

According to the International Conference on Software
Engineering (ICSE), 88 percent of computer viruses currently
attack via e-mail attachments and Internet downloads.

A recent survey by analysts Computer Economics estimated that
virus attacks caused global financial losses of about US$17
billion last year, slightly more than the previous year's figure
of some $13 billion. The company reported that Mydoom virus had
caused the biggest financial losses at about $5 billion, followed
by Sasser, NetSky and Bagle.

Radicati Group, another analyst firm, projected in a recent study
that by the end of this year, spam or unsolicited bulk e-mail
would cause losses to the business sector, including wasted
bandwidth, traffic slowdowns and service disruptions, of up to
$74.6 billion.

To minimize the impact of attacks, providers of antivirus
software are racing to offer the best solutions in treating as
well as preventing virus threats.

Trend Micro Inc., a Japanese-based antivirus and content
security service provider, is looking to expand its market in
Indonesia.

Trend Micro Country Manager for Malaysia Wong Joon Hoong said
his company see growth potential in the antivirus industry in
Indonesia and is hoping to gain a 35 percent market share this
year.

"Hopefully, we will have a new office open here within the
next two months," Hoong told reporters on Wednesday.

He said 90 percent of Trend Micro's revenues were contributed
by Jakarta, which had become a very important area for the
company in expanding its business.

"We are expecting 80 percent growth in company revenues this
year," he added.

Last year, the company reported operating income of $246.9
million and $150.3 million in net income.

Trend Micro, which provides a wide range of security services
-- including desktop and client, outbreak management, network
layer, internet gateway, e-mail and groupware, and file and
storage services -- noted that recent mobile viruses had been
found attacking Symbian-based operating systems. (001)