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Symantec’s ISTR Claims that Targeted Attacks Surged in 2012

Internauts are experiencing less junk emails but far more targeted attacks, as accords to statistics compiled by security firm Symantec in its' recently launched Internet Security Threat Report (ISTR) 2013, Volume 18.

An analysis of 2012's security landscape, as accords to Symantec latest study, shows that traditional junk email now accounts for 69% of total email in 2012, plummeting from 75% in 2011. Still, 30 billion junk emails are sent on a regular basis.

Spam emails which peddle dating or sex items and services now hold for 55%, thereby, clinching the top position from pharma spam.

Further, according to the report, malware is also an element of every 291 e-mails, with 23% of those malware attacks -including messages asking links to malicious websites. Almost 247,350 malware attacks were restricted every day in 2012, according to Symantec, a 30% kick over 2011.

Also, this report says, those who utilize social networks, specifically Twitter and Facebook must be cautious, with the examples of phishing sites that mimic renowned social networks surging a big 125% previous year.

Disturbingly, last year (referring to 2012) also observed an increase in targeted attacks. Symantec saw an increase of 42% in 2012. However, attacks targeting particularly at small scale businesses grew from 18% of all targeted in 2011 to 31% in 2012, observed the security firm's latest study.

Also, more cybercriminals are now employing a special type of targeted cyber attack called as "watering hole attack," Symantec observed in its newly launched report.

A trusted site is used by "Watering hole attack" as foundation to redirect Internauts to an insecure, malicious site, where malicious software can then use fruitfully the flaws within a computer system to clinch the data. The redirection, normally wined via finding flaw and then inserting a Hyper Text Markup Language or HTML iframe, can be spontaneous and thus, the Internauts doesn't understand what has happened.

The usual amount of targeted attacks has soared to an approximate 116 per day, made renowned by the Elderwood Gang that was able to contaminate 500 firms in 24 hours, the latest report adds.

Related article: Symantec Reports: Microsoft’s Vulnerability genesis of New Worm

» SPAMfighter News - 4/23/2013

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