Companies warned of "Trojan Horse" viruses

Companies that rely only on their anti-virus software risk crippling their IT infrastructure, according to security software vendor Finjan.

Bill Lyons, Finjan's CEO, told Network News last week, that anti-virus security technology is not able to detect and terminate first-strike attacks, from Trojan Horses - the latest "hacking tool of choice".

"Trojan Horses attack like ExploreZip, causing the most damage and loss in the first hours of its proliferation," said Lyons. "People need the antidote before they are exposed to the poison."

To address this, Finjan last week launched an upgrade to its SurfinShield Corporate security software that protects instant message users from Trojan Horse attacks.

The technology uses proactive run-time monitoring technique to 'sandbox' web content and executable files and block programmes that violate security policies. Pricing starts from $57 (£34.70) per user.

Andrew Tanner Smith, an analyst at Frost & Sullivan, said: "Anti-virus software is reactive, so the sandbox approach is probably the most efficient way of combating Trojans."