7 Most hacked software of 2009

7 Most hacked software of 2009 BY FORBES

What are the software that are top on hackers' hit list?

Applications and software that are most vulnerable and are the

potential targets of scammers and hackers to install malicious

codes into your PC?

Forbes recently released 2009's `MostHacked

Software'

list. The list names the software and applications that were

biggest targets of hacker attacks in 2009. The software used most by hackers

and other cyber criminals to sneak into your system and cause havoc . . .

 

# 1 Adobe Reader

This year's Most hacked software belongs to Adobe. Adobe Inc's popular software

Adobe Reader is the most hacked software of the year. Security firm iDefense

reportedly tracked as many as 45 bugs in the Adobe Reader

programme this year. The number is up from 14 in 2008 and seven in

2007. Security experts feel that Reader being a universally used programme

makes it highly vulnerable. Also, its complex code base offers a high

risk of flaws.

 

# 2 Internet Explorer

At No. 2 on the Most Hacked Software list is Microsoft's Internet

Explorer. Little surprising is that the browser with majority market share

almost 65% is hot on hackers and scammers target list. IE's complex

code base with no shortage of bugs helps hackers.

Security researchers found 30 bugs in IE this year, almost the same number as

last year and way down from 49 found in 2007.

 

# 3 Mozilla Firefox

The open source browser Mozilla Firefox is the year 2009's third Most

Hacked Software. Closest rival to Internet Explorer with approximately

25% market share recorded an increase in vulnerabilities this year.

Researchers and cybercriminals found as many as 102 bugs in Firefox this year,

an increase of 12 bugs visavis

last year's 90 bugs. Wondering what makes its

more vulnerable than IE which showed 30 bugs? Remember, the two cannot be

compared directly as Firefox is an opensource programme and Mozilla publicly reveals all its bug finds.

 

# 4 Adobe Flash

At No. 4 on the Most Hacked Software list is Adobe's popular design

software Flash, commonly used for viewing animations and movies. The

report found 11 vulnerabilities in the programme this year, down 8 from

19 last year. According to the report, the vulnerabilities pose a potential danger as the

software used for viewing videos and animation requires no interaction with the

user to infect the machine with malicious software.

 

# 5 Apple Quicktime

Next on the hitlist

of hackers is Apple Quicktime, a multimedia

framework used for handling various formats of digital video, media

clips, sound, text, animation and music. Though the Apple talk about

immunity from bugs in its machines, however, security experts feel

that relative security comes from its low market share and not careful coding.

According to the report, 26 bugs were found in Quicktime in 2009, down 10 from

36 found in 2008. The number looks high compared to mere 3 found in Windows

Media Player.

 

# 6 Microsoft Office

At No. 6 is another Microsoft's software, Microsoft Office. IDefense

tracked 41 bugs in Microsoft's popular suite of apps in 2009, down from

44 in 2008. According to the report, hackers many a times use Microsoft

Office applications like PowerPoint, Excel osr Word document to plant

malicious code.

 

# 7 Windows

Another Microsoft's software on Most Hacked Software list is at no.

7. The company's Windowsbased operating system continues to be

top on hacker's radar. Experts believe that the fact that Windows

vulnerabilities can be exploited without a user actually doing anything makes the

software hackerprone.

For example, the Conficker worm spread to over 7 million PCs last year without

requiring a user to visit a website, or open an attachment or actually do anything

else, other than just leave their computers running.