Internet Attacks Are Increasing

Latest research made by Symantec...

In its recent Internet security threat report, Symantec concluded not only that threats are rising but also that there is an increasing amount of evidence supporting the contention that these attacks are being done with profit in mind.


The report covers the six-month period from July to December, and includes analysis of network-based attacks, reported vulnerabilities, and the effects of adware, spyware, and malicious code. Also tracked is spam and phishing data.

Symantec collects the information from more than 40,000 security devices that are installed around the world.

Profit Motive

A significant concern in the security industry is the growth in the number of attackers that are motivated by financial gain rather than by bragging rights.

"Phishing has gotten a lot of attention, and for good reason," said Javier Santoyo, development manager at Symantec Security Response. "These people tend to share information, like how to set up dummy e-mails, and that's driving more phishing by people who aren't as technologically savvy."

In addition, Symantec found that companies have been targeted by small hacker groups practicing a form of extortion in which attackers threaten their systems or steal data.

Enterprises should remain diligent about their security measures, Santoyo said, and also continue aggressive user-education campaigns.

"Just letting users know about configuration management and maybe installing heuristics-based solutions on desktops goes a long way," he said. Security products that rely on heuristics look for patterns in viruses and hack activities.

Threat Matrix

In addition to drawing conclusions about the profit motive of attackers, Symantec noted that the tools used to launch attacks have become more sophisticated. In particular, Internet-related threats are gaining momentum through use of "crimeware," software tools built specifically with the intention of committing online scams and stealing information.

Attackers are moving away from large, multiple-purpose attacks against routers and firewalls, according to Symantec. Instead, they are targeting desktop- and Web-based applications that provide an entry point to corporate and personal information.

"Programs that provide attackers with unauthorized control of a computer, known as bots, also contribute to the rise in cybercrime threats," the Symantec report stated.

While the number of bot-infected computers is 11 percent lower than the security firm's last report, Symantec noted that bot networks are being used increasingly for activities like denial-of-service attacks and extortion attempts.

China experienced the largest increase in bot-infected computers, the report stated, most likely related to the country's rapid growth in Internet connections.