Experts: Web-based threats to rocket this year

As businesses and individual users become aware of email-based scams, cyber criminals are changing tactics and using the web as a tool to spread malicious code and infect corporate computers, researchers at the security company claimed.

Graham Cluley, chief technology consultant at Sophos, said: "A few years ago, email was a method of infecting people with malware. Messages contained a link that, if clicked, installed viruses and spyware. But, there is less of this type of activity going on now.

"In the future, hackers will be using the web as a vector for people to get infected. All PCs have a web browser, and this will be a real growth area in 2007."

According to Cluley, hackers are switching methods as increasing numbers of businesses are protected against email threats.

"More and more people know not to click on those links. The email worm is far from dead, but people are neglecting the web-based threat," he said.

"Sooner rather than later companies need to start considering the web, because the hackers have already changed their target and are using the internet now."

expertsrocketsecuritythisthreatstowebbasedyear