AVG Alerts Australian Web Users to Rising Internet-based Threats

The worldwide Internet security firm AVG is alerting Web users in Australia about the increase of Internet-based risks in 2008. AVG also disclosed that hackers might try to insert unidentified executable malicious software on popular Internet sites.

As per AVG's International Security Strategist Larry Bridwell, during the last four years (2003-2007), Internet-based dangers have become predominantly malevolent, reported SCmagazine on November 23, 2007.

Now-a-days, hackers are aware that nearly every organization has an anti-spam and anti-virus program support. Therefore, they are implementing a range of methods to dupe the Web users.

AVG exposed the most notorious hackings that have taken place during 2007, together with the breach of the Dolphin Stadium Web page just ahead of the NFL Super League match planned there.

All sports enthusiasts visiting the Internet just to monitor the progress of their team are also becoming affected. The alertness issues make sense for the Internet users since they fail to notice the disparity, which is very much present there, maintains Bridwell.

In the beginning of November 2007, several Sensis Websites in Australia incorporating Telstra Bigpond, Whitepages and Yellowpages had to take away advertizement from their Website after a local security expert plus Microsoft MVP found vicious malware implanted within the advertisements.

Bridwell affirmed that they were trying to discover the program being scripted now-a-days and in past few years with the sole intention of purloining data.

According to Bridwell, it was necessary for financial organizations to realize that the utilization of USB memory sticks could cause data loss and compound the danger of workers unwittingly downloading malicious software onto their computers, reported Financialstandard on November 22, 2007.

USB sticks or any other external drive opens the firm to potential data loss or virus transmission while using them from one system to another. Workers of financial organizations browsing various sites and accidentally downloading malware, which permitted cybercriminals to harvest private data, were the main source of danger.

Thus, in view of these tactics adopted by hackers, security investigators are proposing that the greatest security against these risks is to possess regularly updated Web security programs and fixes.

Related article: APACS Reports phishing On The Rise

» SPAMfighter News - 12/7/2007