Rootkits - not just for dentists!

As if there weren't enough reasons to not use Microsoft's Internet Explorer, here's one more [BBC News].

Security experts are warning about a stealthy Windows virus that steals login details for online bank accounts.
...
Many are falling victim via booby-trapped websites that use vulnerabilities in Microsoft's browser to install the attack code.

To be fair though, this apparently only applies to unpatched browsers. But hey, the article gave me an opportunity to have a go at the evil MSFT empire, so sue me!

The interesting thing about this virus is that it is classified as a rootkit, a type of program that is very difficult to detect and remove. We can all expect to see more of these nasties in the future. The days of ostentatious malware are well and truly over, with clandestine and insidious malware designed to steal your data or use your computer's resources being the new modus operandi of these fiends.