AVG - 250,000 Malicious Sites Construct on a Daily Basis

Security provider AVG informs that over 250,000 malicious sites are being produced each day so that malevolent files and algorithms can steal private details.

The Company also says that almost 60% of these harmful web pages remain active for 24 hours, while a lot of them live for less than one day. As per the AVG researchers, the main aim of these threats is to steal credit card information, ID details and other important private details.

AVG also reveals that another kind of threat, which is growing at a rapid pace, is Drive-by-Downloading. By using this means, hackers can steal bank account details, passwords and other important information. Research by AVG also shows almost 60% of sites initiating Drive-by-Downloads is infective for around one day.

Marketing Manager at AVG, Llyod Borrett, states that standard antivirus programs could not solely shield users from web attacks. He also adds that the users should regularly update the components of their systems to make sure that they are virus free, as reported by ITBrief on April 21, 2009.

Borrett reminds users the significance of updates and says that the Conficker network worm, which was highly publicized to attack systems globally on April Fool's Day, was plainly avoidable. The problem was resolved in October 2008. If the systems are updated, then they are protected. Usually, if users keep updating their systems, the problem of virus infection could be avoided.

He also adds that large organizations like Ministry of Health in New Zealand, Fairfax, CBS in America and the navy in France were infected as they didn't roll out their systems. Chief Research Officer at AVG, Roger Thompson, adds that during 2008, there was an augment in attacks on authentic sites, without the prior knowledge of the owner.

The security firm envisages that in coming months, a lot of the security issues comes from the infection of authentic sites. AVG researcher informs that almost 250,000 sites infected everyday is nothing to mock off. The launch and release of Conficker establish that Web is the feasible intermediate to circulate malware.

Related article: APACS Reports phishing On The Rise

» SPAMfighter News - 4/24/2009