London, UK - 25 February 2004, 8:45 GMT - Intelligence Unit data shows that the number of NetSky.b infections is again rising fast since Monday particularly across the UK, Netherlands, Germany, USA and Japan. Over 190 countries have now been infected. As a result, the total economic damage from the NetSky malware family, which infects computers running Windows only, has now reached 9th rank in "The Top 20" table of most damaging malware of all time maintained by mi2g since 1995. The most damaging malware of all time that remains ahead of NetSky is now limited to MyDoom, SoBig, Klez, Mimail, Yaha, Swen, LoveBug and Dumaru families in that order. MyDoom, Dumaru, Mimail, Klez and Swen variants are still actively infecting computers albeit at a much diminished rate compared to their peaks.

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