Security malware is increasingly infecting US computers

According to a new cybercrime Symantec report, tens of millions of US PCs are infected with scam security software. Moreover, software, users may have pay for, can only make computers more vulnerable.

 Symantec found 250 varieties of security malware with legitimate sounding names like Antivirus 2010 and SpywareGuard 2008. The company also found about 43 million attempted downloads in one year, however it was not made sure how many of the attempted downloads succeeded. 

 Cyberthieves are increasingly planting fake security alerts that pop up when computer users access a legitimate website, warning them of a virus and thus offering security software, for free or for a fee.

 It was also impossible to tell how much cyberthieves made off with but "affiliates" acting as middlemen to convince people to download the software were believed to earn between 1 cent per download and 55 cents. Top affiliates of TrafficConverter.biz, which has been shut down, earned as much as $332,000 a month for selling scam security software.