Criminal hackers are increasingly deploying hybrid worms engineered to steal confidential information from unwitting internet users, security experts warned today.

Panda Security said that worms comprised 17.6 per cent of all malware infections in February, up from 15 per cent in January.

Trojans accounted for 23.7 per cent of infections and have remained steady for the past several months, but worms have increased for the second month in a row.

The most active malware samples detected by PandaLabs in February:

1. Trojan Downloader.MDW
2. Worm Bagle.RC
3. Worm Lineage.GXD
4. Worm Bagle.RP
5. Worm Lineage.HJT
6. Worm Perlovga.A
7. Worm Bagle.HX
8. Worm Lineage.HIC
9. Worm Puce.E
10. Worm Lineage.HJB