Kaspersky Lab’s research found that even the waves of mailings sent out by the Warezov worm – July’s biggest threat to computer users – had stopped during August.
“August once again turned out to be “dead season” for virus epidemics in 2007,” the company said in a statement.
“Since August 2003, when the Lovesan worm caused the biggest epidemic in history, the final month of summer has typically been the quietest and most uneventful, as it is a period when both virus writers and antivirus professionals often go on holiday.”
However, the company, which releases a virus ‘top twenty’ every month, warned of a significant outbreak of email threats in September.
As new malware begins to fade or even disappear, the biggest threats in Kaspersky’s rankings are replaced by older, more resilient programs. In August NetSky.q, a virus with a three-and-a-half year lifespan, took first place once again.
“Antivirus companies are left wondering just what else they have to do to exterminate this internet pest,” Kaspersky said.