Gulf States Significantly Exposed to Threats on Web

According to the international provider of Internet security solutions, Trend Micro, Gulf States are open to online threats as Internet usage is increasing in the region, as reported by Khaleej Times on February 20, 2008.

Trend Micro's figures indicate that the growth of Internet usage in the Middle East reached 920.2% at the end of 2007 from 2000 while the global average growth rate was 265.6% from 2000 to 2007. As a result, the region has become more prone to Web threats.

At the opening session of Pan Middle East Security tour, Trend Micro's Global Director of Education, David Perry, said that with the increasing global population of Internet users, the Web will significantly grow as a delivery vehicle of online threats, as reported by the Middle East Event on February 19, 2008.

Perry said that human behavior plays the greatest role in the development of Internet threats and cyber criminals are well versed with the techniques of how to exploit these opportunities. Perry further said that curiosity, arrogance, lack of awareness, ignorance and just common human activities are responsible for rising Internet threats.

The most dangerous Internet threat is from botnets - vast armies of hijacked computers under the control of unauthorized nasty people. Today, botnets account for over 80% of the total global spam. Besides, they are responsible for click-fraud valuing more than Dh3.67 Billion annually, according to Trend Micro.

The threat from botnets calls for careful vigilance, and states in the Gulf region are not free from attacks by these new Web threats, Perry said. He also stressed that as the number of Internet surfers increasing it is also leading to increase in online threats.

Trend Micro says, both professional and average IT users must adopt a policy of best practices for Internet usage to guard themselves against current and new Web threats.

Besides, Trend Micro's recent threat report for 2007 and 2008 exposed the myth about not visiting doubtful Websites. It indicated that financially motivated Web threats broadened in 2007, while in 2008, the difference between genuine and fake Websites will fade out as far as global security is considered.

Related article: Golf Websites, The New Target Of malware Authors

» SPAMfighter News - 2/25/2008