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87 percent of UK claim to have good understanding of spyware.


Webroot Software Webroot Software is a company that creates computer security software. Webroot's corporate headquarters is located in Boulder, Colorado, and the company was founded in 1997. They currently employ about 300 people worldwide. , Inc. have released the results of a survey of 3,000 U.K. home computer users reviewing their understanding of external Internet threats and attacks to their PCs. The survey reveals that advanced forms of spyware are proving a challenge to some of the more well-informed home computer users as 87 percent of the country claims to understand spyware and its impact, yet almost 50 percent also claim to have fallen victim to it. Advanced forms of Interact security threats can include worms, trojans, adware, system monitors and phishing incidents, and can infiltrate infiltrate /in·fil·trate/ (in-fil´trat)
1. to penetrate the interstices of a tissue or substance.

2. the material or solution so deposited.


in·fil·trate
v.
1.
 a computer in various shapes and guises. Webroot's survey reveals that, although spam and viruses are well-known and understood, the complexities of new and advanced forms of spyware continue to daunt daunt  
tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts
To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay.



[Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin
 the home computer user. "This survey highlights the need for the IT security industry to provide the most up-to-date information on spyware to employees, retailers, distributors and customers," said Peter Watkins, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , Webroot Software, Inc. "We also have a duty to ensure that the anti-spyware protection that we provide is able to identify and block these new forms of malicious attack. "Additional findings from Webroot's survey include:

* Levels of concern about exposure to spyware are high amongst UK residents. Sixty-two percent claim concerns about the loss of personal information, with identity theft and the worry of stolen credit card or bank account numbers, following closely behind. Fifty percent, however, have been affected by spyware.

* Although 87 percent of respondents know what spyware is, one in eight has no idea what its actual impact on the PC or the user can be.

* More than half of the UK now visit social network sites, and the majority of 18-24 year olds do so on a regular basis and without concern for their online security

* Seventy-two percent of the UK now bank online and 90 percent shop online, exposing themselves to possible fraud and ID theft

* Ninety-nine percent feel some responsibility to protect themselves from external IT threats, but almost half would like to see software suppliers and Internet Service Providers Internet service provider (ISP)

Company that provides Internet connections and services to individuals and organizations. For a monthly fee, ISPs provide computer users with a connection to their site (see data transmission), as well as a log-in name and password.
 take some responsibility

In their most recent list of top ten threats to the UK, the Webroot Threat Research team has found indications of a "keylogger" becoming the most common. Keyloggers are critical by their nature since they can identify keystrokes in order to collect personal information and are capable of monitoring chat rooms, emails, instant messaging Exchanging text messages in real time between two or more people logged into a particular instant messaging (IM) service. Instant messaging is more interactive than e-mail because messages are sent immediately, whereas e-mail messages can be queued up in a mail server for seconds or  and websites visited plus usernames and passwords entered. Since spyware purveyors are financially motivated, they often rely on keyloggers to steal personal financial data like account numbers and passwords.

When viewed with the relatively new trend of "social networking See social networking site.

social networking - social network
" online, keylogging can pose a serious threat. According to according to
prep.
1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.

2. In keeping with: according to instructions.

3.
 the Webroot survey, 82 percent of 18-24 year olds surveyed said that they visit social networking sites A Web site that provides a virtual community for people interested in a particular subject or just to "hang out" together. Members create their own online "profile" with biographical data, pictures, likes, dislikes and any other information they choose to post.  on a dally, weekly or monthly basis, where spyware is abundant. More than any other age, 92 percent of this age group will open attachments and embedded links in instant messages leaving them vulnerable to malware attacks. With 93 percent of this group shopping online with their credit or debit cards they are dramatically increasing the odds of ID theft, loss of personal data and credit card fraud Credit card fraud is a wide-ranging term for theft and fraud committed using a credit card or any similar payment mechanism as a fraudulent source of funds in a transaction. The purpose may be to obtain goods without paying, or to obtain unauthorized funds from an account. .

According to the most recent APACS APACS Association for Payment Clearing Services
APACS Assessments of Policing and Community Safety (UK)
APACS Advanced Personal Air Conditioning System
APACS Application Access and Control System
 figures, online banking fraud rose by 55 percent in 12 months and costs the UK public 22.5 million [pounds sterling] a year. Because spyware doesn't appear to be suspicious or malicious, it is responsible for the largest percentage of data and ID theft and online banking fraud. Further, the Webroot survey reveals that 48 percent of the heaviest users of the Internet (18-24 year olds) have no understanding of how spyware enables phishing, and wouldn't recognise its forms of attack.

"Online socialising has rapidly become the new way to network and make friends, yet this research reveals that the people most likely to engage in this behaviour are the least informed when it comes to security threats such as spyware," Watkins added. "Just as the Internet's social explosion has revolutionised communication and interaction, so too has it revolutionised criminal activity. Combined with the public's lack of knowledge and continuing popularity of the Internet, there is a 'perfect storm' brewing for cyber (1) From "cybernetics," it is a prefix attached to everyday words to add a computer, electronic or online connotation. The term is similar to "virtual," but the latter is used more frequently. See virtual.  criminals."
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Title Annotation:Security Trends
Publication:Database and Network Journal
Date:Apr 1, 2007
Words:703
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