McAfee looks back on a decade of cybercrimeSANTA CLARA, US / JOHANNESBURG, SA: Over the past 10 years, Internet use has exploded, growing over five-fold from the 361 million users in 2000 to nearly two billion users in 2010 (according to InternetWorldStats.com*). With a new onslaught of e-commerce sites and revenue opportunities, the Internet has become a treasure trove of money and information that has proven irresistible to cybercrooks, says Andrea van der Westhuizen, McAfee PM at AxizWorkgroup. Johannesburg. "The latest report from McAfee 'A Good Decade for Cybercrime'** examines the past 10 years of cybercriminal tactics and online threats, an era that dramatically changed the face of crime." Snapshot of a decadeTop exploits representing different eras of cybercrime: "Top scams included the selling of fake antivirus software, phishing and the creation of fake web sites including fake bank, auction and e-commerce sites," says Van der Westhuizen. Looking ahead, McAfee Labs predicts the continuation of social networking scams and tricks, such as malicious links, phoney friend requests and phishing attempts. The scams are likely to get more sophisticated and personalised, especially if users continue to share a great deal of information. *http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm ***Exchange rate at time of posting: US$1=R6.70. |