Internet crime has become a major commercial activity, reveals a report by computer security company Symantec. Internet hackers have fundamentally shifted away from nuisance and destructive attacks toward criminal activities motivated by financial gain, according to the report. And the attacks are increasingly being launched by malicious computer code hiding in trusted websites that people visit regularly through their web-browsers.Cyber crime has become increasingly professional and was now a multi-billion dollar industry. The underground economy has its own auction sites and marketplaces that sell valuable data such as credit card numbers and bank accounts, sometimes for as little as $20 for someone’s banking log-on or credit card details!
They also sell toolkits for novice cyber criminals who lack technical know-how to craft their own attacks. Just three phishing toolkits were behind 42% of all phishing attacks seen by Symantec in the first six months of 2007.
The full report can be downloaded from:
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