PandaLabs - Global Infection Rates of ID Theft Malware Increasing Rapidly

PandaLabs, an online security vendor, announced a comprehensive ID theft study which is based on the study of 67 Million systems in 2008. The study reveals that the number of systems infected with ID theft malware increased by 800% from first six months of 2008 to second six months of 2008.

PandaLabs also says that 1.1% of the global population using Internet has been consistently exposed to ID theft malware.

Moreover, 10 Million users worldwide and 3 Million in the US were infected by ID theft malware in 2008. In addition, the mean cost per ID theft incident in the US has reached $496.00, taking the total estimated risk of ID theft malware to $1.5 Billion. Florida, California and Arizona are the states that have witnessed the maximum per captia incidence of ID theft, especially by using the ID theft malware.

Further, out of the total systems analyzed, 35% were targeted with malware and they had the latest antivirus software running. PandaLabs inform that it is evident that the anti malware software running on those systems were not appropriate to beat the attack.

PandaLabs adds that the infection rate will rise by an extra 336% every month during 2009, The prediction is based on the trend recorded over the last 14 months (since January 2008), as reported by darkREADING on March 10, 2009.

Besides, PandaLabs states that with so many systems and people are being targeted with malware, these numbers are of course huge but not very surprising. The hackers who code and circulate such kinds of malware to operate the scam are very crafty. They have a clear idea of the danger that they may encounter and how to overcome them.

PandaLabs also states that apart from ID theft malware, Banking trojans are causing havoc in Korea, Brazil, China and Russia by stealing users' identity after downloading on their systems. Some other malware made for stealing details like information related to online products and games are just as frequent as they were earlier.

Related article: PandaLabs Report Discusses Movie Trojan and Other Worms

» SPAMfighter News - 3/17/2009