The Flame virus is the "Threat of the Month"

Microsoft calls on users to fix Flame security bug

What is it?

Flame, aka Skywiper, is a sophisticated tool used to locate and steal data accessible from the infected computer. The malware uses multiple exploits to propagate and is highly configurable. 

How does it work?

A modular software design is used to harvest data, which is encrypted, stored and transmitted to one of multiple command-and-control servers.  

Should I be worried?

Although the reported “victim” count is around 1,000 and geographically centered in the Middle East, Flame should remove any doubt that highly resourced cyber espionage is alive and well.  

How can I prevent it?

Today's “open” computing environments typically allow the installation of any user-authorized software and leave computers open to malware attack. Flame adapts to avoid anti-virus and other security controls making identification difficult. The use of data encryption to protect critical data coupled with advanced security monitoring is required.