Internet Assaults Hit Nations, both Developed and Emerging

Symantec, the security firm, in its annual evaluation finds that there's an exponential rise in cyber-attacks against both advanced as well as emerging economies across the globe.

Post assessment, the company emphasizes that the country which continues to top in launching computer attacks is the United States, generating 19% of the total malware. Nevertheless, that rate has declined from 23% during 2008.

As more broadband networks are launched in emerging nations and as people increasingly use their services, there appears to be growing numbers of botnet, phishing and other Internet attacks in these countries. One explanation given is that these new broadband users don't possess the same skill towards safeguarding their PCs like those who have been using them since long, says Director of Symantec Security Response Kevin Haley, according to a statement published by Venturebeat.com on April 19, 2010.

Furthermore, the report states that as many as 46,591 bots are actually identified each day. This number is, however, 38% less since 2008, partially because a few ISPs which were hosting them have been disabled.

Also, phony security software hitting computer-users was the top-most security problem during 2009. Incidentally, scams with spurious security software represent highly prevalent threats because victims voluntarily provide personal credit card details believing that they're buying genuine software. However, such details are eventually utilized for making unauthorized transactions, the report highlights.

Additionally, Symantec's research indicates that users of Apple gradually became prone to cyber-crime during 2009.
As a result, Vincent Weafer, a Symantec Vice-President, cautioned Apple users that with their increasing shift in computer activities such as saving images on remote servers that Internet-based firms managed, it is vital for them to adopt the same protections as skilled computer-owners had been maintaining over years to avert ID theft. According to Weafer, these protections are, not disclosing key number like credit card number, and treating offers with suspicion that appears unbelievably true, as reported by Reuters.com on April 20, 2010.

The VP said that uses have a feeling that they are on a Mac, so they are safe. But, actually are inside the cloud, and hence require maintaining the same caution as any other user, Weafer advised.

Related article: Internet Threat Volumes Overwhelm Security Companies

» SPAMfighter News - 4/30/2010