Microsoft says US is top malware target

Windows users based in the United States are the most likely to benefit from Microsoft's malicious software removal tool, which has removed malware from nearly 2.2 million US machines, more than the other nine top countries combined. Over the same period, the MSRT has disinfected 383,378 machines in China, 282,152 in Brazil, …

[Anonymous Coward]

Sooo

Just how is MS cleaning these machines? I envision a hose and a sponge. (Sorry - it should be Friday!)

On a more important issue - how are they gathering the data? Here I imagine MS uploading all of the facts about the computer that has been 'cleaned'. This would seem to be a bit much - not to mention the fact that they seem to know WHAT is being removed from which PC AND where it is located....

WTF - cause: WTF - how do they 'know' these things?

[Peter 39]

... and statistics

They could better start by removing ActiveX

That would solve a whole lot more problems.

[John Doe 6]

That's right Microsoft...

...and it is because of your poorly designed OS and your idea that running as admin is safe.

[Anonymous Coward]

@John Doe 6

Running as administrator doesn't make much difference. The entire "OS" is a can of worms with all the standard real-OS features like networking and process exclusion security are bolt-on afterthoughts.

[Andrew Taylor 1]

How do they know?

Is MSRT reporting back to them or is it just a guestimate, if it's the former when were MS going to tell users about the rootkit/trojan they'd installed on their machines.

Mines the leather jacket with Paranoid on the back

[Anonymous Coward]

@George

You may want to do a teeny weeny bit of research, You know read the f**king article, see the magic words "Microsoft malicious software removal tool" and then use this thing called a search engine, this will give you the mysterious information that seems to evade you.

That way you can remove your paranoid hat and put on your informed hat.

Yes it sends the info back, but it doesn't go, oh look it's George , of 32 Acacia Avenue, and he has 32 photos of his lover in his D drive.

If they don't get the info how do they know it's acually doing any good?

Next week, how do antivirus companies know that you have a virus.

[Andrew Moore]

Title rewrite:

"Microsoft says US is top malware target thanks to Microsoft"

[Will Shaw]

Pointless qualification

Why even bother adding the words "malware target" to the end of that headline? That'd sum up the Amerkan attitude a little more neatly.

[Geoff Mackenzie]

US says Microsoft is top malware target

There, fixed it.

[windywoo]

95% marketshare

Nothing to do with how secure the OS is, if Linux or OSX had this market share you bet they would see more malware. And you don't need to run as admin to steal credit card details or keylog.

[Amos]

Not surprising to see...

... that in all countries where IE is not forced on people, windows has a lesser rate of infection :)

Mind you, removal tool will not let itself be run on pirated versions of windows. So there are a whole lot of installs stuffed to the brim with evil in the Asia-pacific area.

Grenade. because there is no ticking bomb icon.