INTERNET ATTACKS JUMP SIGNIFICANTLY THIS YEAR
The semiannual Internet Security Threat Report, which is based on monitoring by computer security firm Symantec, indicates that in the first six months of 2004 there were at least 1,237 newly discovered software vulnerabilities and almost 5,000 new Windows viruses and worms capable of compromising computer security.
The numbers represent a dramatic increase
over the same period in 2003. Even more troubling was the sharp rise in the number of "bot," or robot, networks, which comprise a large number of infected PCs that can then be used to distribute viruses, worms, spyware and spam to other computers.
The survey notes that in the first half of 2004, the number of monitored botnets rose from fewer than 2,000 to more
than 30,000.
The botnets, which range in size from 2,000 to 400,000
"zombie" machines, are often "rented out" to commercial spammers who use them to distribute junk e-mail while concealing their identities.
E-commerce was the industry most frequently targeted for attacks,
accounting for 16% of the total, and report authors note that phishing scams are responsible for pushing up the numbers in that category.
"We're seeing a professional hand in development that was pretty startling in terms of malicious code," says Alfred Huger, senior director of engineering for security response at Symantec. The report's findings mirror those of recent government-supported research. (New York Times 20 Sep 2004)
