Malware from Piracy Websites Yield USD70m

With piracy a problem rampant on the Internet, members of online community have taken up the subject for hot debate. A report that the Digital Citizens Alliance recently published reaches the conclusion that 33 percent of the entire number of piracy websites, especially torrent sites, contain malware. The study that RiskIQ a cyber security company based in San Francisco carried out for the Alliance gives even more interesting information which is that the kind of malware mentioned yields the hacker industry about USD70m. Gamerant.com reported this in news on December 26, 2015.

An organization working not for profit, Digital Citizens Alliance concentrates on e-threats that the common people encounter. It studied 800 websites for making the above conclusion. The websites comprised torrent sites along with sites which presented uninterrupted services for PC users to obtain copyrighted material. Visitors to such websites were found to be risked with malware infection 28 times greater than non-visitors. Indeed, e-threats following counterfeit video games attacked users all-too actively if they were recipients of malware. A particular PC-user who was just going to take down a pirated edition of 'Fallout 4' discovered the exact amount of monetary destruction a hack could initiate. Consequent of the malicious contents that user and similar others took down, there occurred a total of USD1,900 worth Bitcoins in theft from those users.

The malware infections could result in further adverse effects, warned the Alliance, like hackers could use the particular malware programs for committing ID-theft, executing distributed denial-of-service assaults, selling personal data for a price, or even acquiring complete hold over the user's computer.

Moreover, during the recent years, the study notes, considerable hacks into client databases belonging to renowned organizations have generated more consciousness regarding the requirement of Internet security. In such conversations, the fear of malicious software as well as content theft must have been integral parts.

Clearly from the research, malware dealing means lucrative business when it comes to piracy websites. Also, this business is expanding as well as thriving progressively. However, the problem can be curbed with creation of more awareness among consumers, it is perceived.

» SPAMfighter News - 12/30/2015