To Download a Full Copy of the Report Click Here

Value of total advertised goods on underground economy servers during 12-month period was more than £184 million 

Reading, UK – Nov. 24, 2008- Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today released its Report on the Underground Economy.  The report details an online underground economy that has matured into an efficient, global marketplace in which stolen goods and fraud-related services are regularly bought and sold, and where the estimated value of goods offered by individual traders is measured in millions of pounds. The report is derived from data gathered by Symantec’s Security Technology and Response (STAR) organisation, from underground economy servers between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008.

The potential value of total advertised goods observed by Symantec was more than £184 million ($276 million) for the reporting period. This value was determined using the advertised prices of the goods and services and measured how much advertisers would make if they liquidated their inventory.  

Credit card information is the most advertised category of goods and services on the underground economy, accounting for 31 percent of the total. While stolen credit card numbers sell for as little as 7pence ($0.10) to £17 ($25) per card, the average advertised stolen credit card limit observed by Symantec was more than £2,650 ($4,000).  Symantec has calculated that the potential worth of all credit cards advertised during the reporting period was £3.53 billion ($5.3 billion). 

The popularity of credit card information is likely due to the many ways this information can be obtained and used for fraud; credit cards are easy to use for online shopping and it’s often difficult for merchants or credit providers to identify and address fraudulent transactions before fraudsters complete these transactions and receive their goods. Also, credit card information is often sold to fraudsters in bulk, with discounts or free numbers provided with larger purchases.  

The second most common category of goods and services advertised was financial accounts at 20 percent of the total. While stolen bank account information sells for between £6.50 ($10) and £650 ($1,000), the average advertised stolen bank account balance is nearly £26,700 ($40,000). Calculating the average advertised balance of a bank account together with the average price for stolen bank account numbers, the worth of the bank accounts advertised during this reporting period was £1.1 billion ($1,7 billion). The popularity of financial account information is likely due to its potential for high payouts and the speed at which payouts can be made. In one case, financial accounts were cashed out online to untraceable locations in less than 15 minutes.  

During the reporting period, Symantec observed 69,130 distinct active advertisers and 44,321,095 total messages posted to underground forums.  The potential value of the total advertised goods for the top 10 most active advertisers was £10.8 million ($16.3 million) for credit cards and £1.3 million ($2 million) for bank accounts. Furthermore, the potential worth of the goods advertised by the single most active advertiser identified by Symantec during the study period was £4.2 billion ($6.4 billion).  

The underground economy is geographically diverse and generates revenue for  cybercriminals who range from loose collections of individuals to organised and sophisticated groups.  During this reporting period, EMEA hosted the second largest number of such servers, with 38 percent of the total; with North America being first with 45 percent. Asia/Pacific hosted 12 percent and Latin America 5 percent. The geographical locations of underground economy servers are constantly changing to evade detection.

QUOTE
“As evidenced by the Report on the Underground Economy, today’s cybercriminals are thriving off of information they are gathering without permission from consumers and businesses,” said Stephen Trilling, vice president, Symantec Security Technology and Response. “As these individuals and groups continue to devise new tools and techniques to defraud legitimate users around the globe, protection and mitigation against such attacks must become an international priority.”

RELEVANT LINKS
To read additional key findings and obtain more about the underground economy, visit the following resource:

Symantec Internet Security Threat Report XIII – go to http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/enterprise/white_papers/b-whitepaper_internet_security_threat_report_xiii_04-2008.en-us.pdf to download the full report. 

For a Symantec Business Blog read:
http://viewfromthebunker.com/

For a Symantec Consumer Blog read:
http://www.itsnotacon.co.uk/ 

About Security Technology and Response

Symantec’s Security Technology and Response (STAR) organization, which includes Security Response, is a worldwide team of security engineers, threat analysts, and researchers that provides the underlying functionality, content, and support for all Symantec corporate and consumer security solutions. With global response centers located throughout the world, STAR monitors malicious code reports from more than 120 million systems across the Internet, receives data from 40,000 network sensors in more than 200 countries, and tracks more than 25,000 vulnerabilities affecting more than 55,000 technologies from more than 8,000 vendors.  The team uses this vast intelligence to develop and deliver the world’s most comprehensive security protection against both existing and emerging threats. 

About Symantec

Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organizations secure and manage their information-driven world.  Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at www.symantec.com

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

Teaching children how to keep protected on the Internet while having fun 
  

10th October 2008- Symantec, makers of World-renowned Norton Internet security software, has teamed up with Perform, the UK’s largest drama school exclusively for primary age children, to teach children how to stay safe on the Internet in a fun and lively way.

 

As the government announces the formation of The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) this month, the importance of children’s safety online is being recognised at a national level. Reporting directly to the Prime Minister, the Council will help to improve the regulation and education around internet use, tackling problems around online bullying, safer search features, and violent video games following recommendations from Dr Tanya Byron’s report ‘Safer Children in a Digital World’.

 

By bringing the issues into the schools, Symantec can help educate the pupils, teachers and parents of the dangers on being online and how to tackle them.   ‘Zak and Zara’s Cyberspace Adventure’ theatre production has been created by Perform exclusively for Symantec UK as part of its Norton Family Online Safety Initiative. The performance will be shown to more than 10,000 children in primary schools across London and the Home Counties in October 2008 to teach them, while having fun, ways to use the Internet in a safe and responsible manner. Zak & Zara’s Cyberspace Adventure is a colourful story set in the future on Planet Disco. The children will meet the Space-Age family, their talking computer, Chip, and the nasty Green Alien while learning key online safety messages around topics such as cyber-bullying and using chat-rooms safely. Involving three energetic actor-singer-dancers, a funky seventies-inspired score and projected animations, Zak & Zara’s Cyberspace Adventure will be lots of interactive fun while also communicating a serious message to the children about Internet safety. “Theatre in Education is extremely powerful and can really get important messages across more than anything else as the children can really empathise with the actors and stories,” said Lucy Quick, Perform Principle. “Internet safety is a very important topic right now, so we are very happy to be collaborating with leading Internet safety company Symantec to tackle this subject.” 

“Children today have never known a world without the Internet and communicating with their friends through email, social networking and instant messaging is common practice,” said Caroline Cockerill, Norton Online Safety Advocate for Symantec. “Yet this can be worrying for parents and carers who are concerned about what or whom their children may encounter online.  “We’re delighted to be teaming up with Perform as it’s a new and completely novel approach to teaching children how to keep protected online while having fun. It also builds further on our Norton Family Online Safety Initiative, which is a support programme to provide parents and children with the knowledge and tools to stay safe online.” “Through Zak and Zara’s Cyberspace Adventure, we hope to educate children about how to use the Internet in a responsible and safe way while still being able to enjoy the benefits of the Internet. Children will also learn the three golden rules of staying safe on the Internet – Be Safe, Be Smart and Be Certain – and take home with them information that they can learn and share with their parents and carers.”  For more information or practical advice for parents and children on staying safe online then please visit the Norton Family Online Safety resource web site www.norton.com/uk/familyresource. A free guide with tips on Internet safety is also available via the site. 

 

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

In response to the launch of its online consumer and corporate risky business report on Wednesday 24 September, Symantec, the world’s leading online consumer company has produced a convenient pocket-sized downloadable guide to educate the public on the key online risks to their personal information, and how best to avoid them.

 

The research, conducted amongst 1,000 UK consumers and 600 UK businesses explored the relationship between consumer and business perceptions of the online data risks that the UK population take when spending time online. The following highlight findings were released as part of the research launch:

 

 Changes in consumer behaviour

• 84% of consumers agree or strongly agree that the credit crunch has made them shop around for better deals
• 75% of consumers are more likely to shop online for items now than they were 6 months ago
• 18% of consumers do not check the security of websites they use, but when they do, the following identification methods are used:

              o   Friends recommendation – 11%

              o   Check for the padlock – 66%

              o   Make sure it is a trusted brand – 27%

              o   Use security software – 30%

 

 Consumer attitudes to online information risks

• 75% of consumers are concerned by how much data companies (online and offline) hold about them, and only 21% believe that their data is secure in the hands of those companies
• The majority of consumers (89%), believe that reckless or repeated data breaches should be a criminal matter and punishable by imprisonment
• 50% of consumers believe that the Government is the least trustworthy organisation when it comes to data, followed by telecommunications companies (32%)
• Large companies are also perceived as the least trustworthy with 57%  of consumers voting them most likely to lose data
• 93% of consumers would not provide personal details to a company which had past problems of losing data and 80% believe it should be a ‘one strike and you are out’ rule when it comes to data loss, they would not trust a company again after it happened once.

 

In addition to exploring the perceptions of both the general public and the businesses which store consumer data, the research also looked into how likely consumers were to part with their information in a real life on-street data capture experiment. Taking place in Covent Garden, London on Monday 22 September 2008, a team of independent researchers approached over 200 members of the general public and tried to extract confidential password information from them in exchange for a £5 Marks and Spencers voucher.

 

Commenting on the launch of Symantec’s “Don’t Put Your ID At Risk” Guide, John Brigden, Senior Vice President, Symantec EMEA said: “In response to our research amongst the UK public and businesses which deal with sensitive consumer data, we felt that there was a definite opportunity to help further educate people about how to best protect themselves and their personal information when spending time online. To this end, our comprehensive consumer information online safety guide written by a team of Symantec experts will not only raise awareness of key issues involved but also explains things in plain English. It also has some easy to remember tips to help people avoid becoming a victim of online identify fraud.”

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

Reading, UK (October 1, 2008) – To ignite the launch of its fastest and lightest Norton security software, Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today kicked off the “Blast Off With Norton” contest in UK & Ireland[1], offering the chance to win a trip aboard a zero gravity flight and compete for the grand prize – a ticket to rocket 62 miles above Earth aboard a suborbital space flight! News Facts:

 

• To launch Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2009, Symantec is offering the chance for three people to win a seat on a zero gravity flight, where participants can experience the sensations of floating, flipping and flying through the air weightless
• Fewer than 500 people have been to space, but one lucky winner will join this exclusive club courtesy of Symantec
• Finalists will receive one ticket for a zero gravity flight, airfare and travel accommodations, and a free copy of Norton’s latest security software.
• The contest runs from October 1 - December 31, 2008
• Finalists will be announced in January 2009 and the winner of the suborbital flight will be announced in February 2009

 

 

 About Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2009

 

• Reengineered for speed, Norton 2009 includes hundreds of performance enhancements and introduces new technologies:
  • Community intelligence-driven Norton Insight technology removes the need to scan common files, thus greatly reducing the number of files that have to be scanned regularly
  • Frequent Pulse Updates deliver the latest protection updates faster than ever

 

• Norton 2009 includes the Norton Protection System, a multilayered system of technologies that work in concert to stop threats before they impact you.

 

• Norton 2009 delivers Symantec’s best customer experience through features that solve daily problems:
  • Silent mode suspends alerts and updates automatically to avoid interrupting or slowing activities such as games, movies or presentations
  • Smart scheduler handles scans, updates and other activities when the PC is idle, and processes retreat into the background within milliseconds of user activity
  • New user interface (UI) streamlines the experience so users can reach important features with a single click, and advanced users can configure custom settings with ease
  • Lightweight UI includes advanced performance meter to detail CPU usage at any given time
  • Symantec now delivers free support to Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2009 customers across all available channels – via the web, email (where available), chat or phone throughout the duration of the product subscription period[2]

 

Norton Internet Security 2009  and Norton AntiVirus 2009 are available now for purchase through the Symantec online store at www.symantecstore.co.uk as well as various retail locations and online 

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

Low levels of consumer trust in how businesses manage and secure customer data could put companies at risk, according to a study by Symantec

 

Nearly four out of five people in Britain believe their personal information is insecure in the hands of the companies that hold the data, according to a recent survey by Symantec Corp (Nasdaq: SYMC) and Moneysupermarket.com, the online price comparison site. 

 

The research was commissioned by Symantec to assess attitudes towards online risks from both a consumer and business perspective.  

 

An even higher number, 89 per cent of respondents, believes that reckless or repeated data breaches should be a criminal matter and punishable by imprisonment, with four out of five people saying it should be a ‘one strike and you’re out’ rule when it comes to data loss. 

 

This low level of consumer trust could have a vast impact on the reputation and brand value of a company, when taking into account the response from businesses. Not only did the majority of companies polled (76 per cent) expect to lose customers if a data loss or breach occur, about half of them expected it to be immediate.  

 

“These statistics are very concerning for business, particularly in the current unstable market conditions,” said John Brigden, senior vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Symantec. “Not only do they risk losing large numbers of customers following an incident of data loss, but almost 60 per cent of companies said it would be a lot harder to attract new customers once the reputation had been tarnished.” 

 

A further 75 per cent of consumers are concerned by how much information companies hold about them, whether online or offline, and a staggering 93 per cent will not provide personal details to a company which has past problems of losing data. When questioned on the trustworthiness of public companies, half of those polled rated the Government as the least trustworthy organisation.  

 

“Today we all have an enormous digital footprint, whether we realise it or not,” said Brigden. “Every time we shop online, bank online or increasingly simply surf the web, we are giving away our personal information, and clearly people are concerned how businesses and government handle that data.” 

 

Out of sight, out of mind

Despite their strong views, people are not careful when it comes to protecting their own information, with 73 per cent of respondents not checking what happens to their credit card information when it leaves their sight and 18 per cent not verifying the security of websites they use. When they do verify a website’s security, two thirds of respondents have indicated they check for the padlock, 30 per cent use security software, 27 per cent only use websites from a trusted brand and 11 per cent follow friends’ recommendations of safe sites.

 

Additionally, 89 per cent would share their name and 23 per cent their date of birth with a complete stranger. Respondents estimated the monetary value of their name at £1 and date of birth at £100, when in fact their full identity is worth a mere 50p, according to Symantec’s latest Internet Security Threat Report, released in April this year. 

 

Even though half those surveyed voted online payments as the most likely risk of losing data, the credit crunch has forced the vast majority to turn to the Internet to shop, with 84 per cent confirming that they surf the web for the best deals. Seventy five per cent are more likely to shop online for items now than they were six months ago, which is a clear indication that consumers are first and foremost concerned about price – and not necessarily for their safety.  

 

Clare Francis, from price comparison site moneysupermarket.com, said: “Over the past year we have seen an incredible upturn in applications for current accounts and credit cards on our site. However, it is when people start using these market-leading debit and credit cards that they need to be vigilant with their information. It is great to be earning 8.5 per cent on your current account or paying no interest for 12 months on credit card purchases, but you need to look after your personal information to ensure other people can’t start using your details.” 

 

Brigden added: “While fingers have been pointed at organisations that have lost customer data recently, it is also the responsibility of consumers to protect themselves when it comes to data risk – a sentiment that is shared by 84 per cent of respondents. No security measure can be fully effective unless people are more responsible and recognize that they too have a vital part to play in protecting their information.”  

 

Based upon the research, Symantec has put together the below consumer personality profiles for which most of the population fall into: 

 

SYMANTEC CONSUMER PERSONALITY PROFILES 

 

Wealthy Warriors
Representing one quarter of people in Britain, ‘Wealthy Worriers’ are the least affected by the credit crunch and, having accumulated their wealth over the years, need not shop around for better deals. However, they have a high level of concern that their data is insecure and, as a result, also place a higher value on all their personal information.

Cagey Crunchers
Cagey Crunchers represents nearly a quarter of the nation. They are the most price-conscious folk and, as they have been affected by the credit crunch in one way or another, these consumers incessantly look for the best bargains. Consistent with their wary style, they are also web-savvy and keep a close eye on online security.

Serene Surfers
As the third largest group, Serene Surfers represents nearly one in five British people. With a neutral attitude towards the credit crunch and being web-savvy, this middle-aged group are enthusiastic Internet shoppers and more likely to shop online now than they were six months ago. Due to their alertness to Internet fraud and the high value they place on their personal information, they believe these details are in safe hands.

Restless Retributionists
‘Restless Retributionists’ are of the younger population and, with most being financially unstable, they are forced to find the cheapest prices amidst the current economic situation. They are highly concerned about the number of people and companies who keep their personal information and, trying to hold the moral high ground, they have the strongest feelings towards reckless or repeated data breaches, and believe it should be a criminal matter and punishable by imprisonment.

Optimistic Ostriches
Only one in ten people fall into the ‘Optimistic Ostriches’ group. These happy-go-lucky British are indifferent to the credit crunch and only somewhat concerned that their data is insecure, while not placing a high value on this information. Not surprisingly, Optimistic Ostriches are less likely to check what happens to their personal information and are more willing to forgive the companies that lose this data.

About Symantec

Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help businesses and consumers secure and manage their information. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 40 countries. More information is available at http://www.symantec.co.uk/.  

 

About http://www.moneysupermarket.com/

www.moneysupermarket.com is an online comparison service designed to save consumers time and money. The website has 29 channels including travel, gas, electricity, mobile phones, broadband, credit cards, mortgages, current accounts, motor insurance and home insurance.  Note to editors:The research commissioned by Symantec was conducted online among consumers between the ages of 18 and 55+, with more than 1,000 responses received, and among businesses of varying sizes ranging from 1 to 1,000+ employees, with more than 600 responses received.  

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

Norton 2009 Products are Light on Resources, Strong on Protection, Backed by Free Phone Support

 

Reading, UK – 17 September, 2008 – Symantec, Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) today launched Norton Internet Security 2009 and Norton AntiVirus 2009 in Europe, Middle East and Africa, raising the standard for speed and performance. The Norton 2009 products were designed with a “zero-impact” performance goal, supported by more than 300 improvements that span nearly every aspect of the product, from the scanning engines to the user interface. 

 

Norton 2009 Key Facts:

 

Light on Resources
Re-engineered for speed, Norton 2009 includes hundreds of performance enhancements and introduces new technologies:
• Community intelligence-driven Norton Insight technology removes the need to scan common files, thus greatly reducing the number of files that have to be scanned regularly
• Pulse Updates every 5 to 15 minutes deliver the latest protection updates faster than any other competitor, according to a recent report by AV-Test(2)  

 

Independent third party test lab, PassMark Software was commissioned to benchmark Symantec and top security software competitors’ performance impact on key metrics(3). Highlights from this report include:
• Fastest install — Norton Internet Security 2009 installs in only 52 seconds
• Least working memory usage — Norton Internet Security 2009 uses less than 7MB
• Fastest quick scan — Norton Internet Security 2009 scans in only 33 seconds

 

Comprehensive Protection
Norton 2009 includes the Norton Protection System, a multi-layered system of technologies that work in concert to stop threats before they impact you. The Norton Protection System includes:
• Browser protection for both Firefox and IE safeguards you from Web-based attacks
• Enhanced Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) engine for multimedia attacks
• SONAR advanced protection for real-time protection from unknown threats
• Antibot protection
• System recovery tool for deep infections

 

Independent security software testing firm, AV-Test recently released results of their malware protection analysis of the 2009 security suites. AV-Test included the Norton Internet Security 2009 beta against 33 other well-known suites and virus scanners. Key findings from this report were that Norton Internet Security 2009 beta ranked at the top of the list by:
• Detecting 98 percent of malware
• Detecting 95 percent of spyware
• Producing no false positives

 

New Usability Enhancements
Norton 2009 delivers the best customer experience through features that solve daily problems:
• Silent mode suspends alerts and updates automatically to avoid interrupting or slowing activities such as games, movies or presentations
• Smart scheduler handles scans, updates and other activities when the PC is idle, and processes retreat into the background within milliseconds of user activity
• New user interface (UI) streamlines the experience so users can reach important features with a single click, and advanced users can configure custom settings with ease
• Lightweight UI includes advanced performance meter to detail CPU usage at any given time

 

Free Technical Support
• Symantec provides free, unlimited 24x7 email, chat and phone support for a period of one year from initial installation of this product*. Regular Internet connection fees and call charges apply. For full details and to access support, go to www.symantec.com/globalsupport.
• In addition to free worldwide support, Symantec now hosts a thriving Norton Users Forum beta which is open to the public and averages 1,000 new posts weekly

 

* Customers are now entitled to free phone support for a period of one year from initial product installation for assistance with product troubleshooting, configuration and installation issues.

 

Quotes:
“Today’s Norton is now proven to be faster and stronger than ever before,” said Rowan Trollope senior vice president, Consumer Business, Symantec. “The products run light on the system, install in less than a minute and include industry first features like Norton Insight, which dramatically reduces the number of files that have to be scanned.”

 

“This is the highest quality consumer product we’ve ever shipped,” Trollope continued. “We’re especially pleased to be able to offer free support via web, email (where available), chat or phone to every 2009 customer worldwide.”

 

User comments on Norton Internet Security 2009 from 3rd party usability study on security suites(4):
• “Norton: Easy to install, self-explanatory, functionality was great.”
• “Overall, it’s more thorough and easier to manipulate.”
• “Wow…that was really fast…”

 

Pricing and Availability
Norton Internet Security 2009 and Norton AntiVirus 2009 is available for purchase in UK from September through the Symantec online store at www.symantecstore.com as well as various retail locations and online.

 

The suggested retail price for Norton Internet Security 2009 is £49.99 for a three PC license, which includes a one-year service subscription to use the product and receive Symantec’s protection updates. The suggested retail price of Norton AntiVirus 2009 is £39.99 which includes a one-year service subscription to use the product and receive Symantec’s protection updates. All Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus users with a valid product subscription are eligible to receive the latest product updates via the subscription service model. For more information, visit the Norton Update center at www.norton.com/update.

 

About Norton from Symantec
Symantec’s Norton products help to protect consumers from traditional threats with antivirus anti-spam and spyware protection, as well as bots, drive-by downloads and identity theft-- while also being light on system resources.  The company also provides services such as online backup and PC tuneup, and is a trusted source for family online safety.

 

About Symantec
Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help businesses and consumers secure and manage their information. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 40 countries. More information is available at www.symantec.com

 

(1) PassMark Software testing performed on a Windows Vista system with Intel Core 2 Duo 6300 & 1GB of RAM. Full report: PassMark Software
(2) AV-Test Labs (www.av-test.org)
(3) PassMark Software testing performed on a Windows Vista system with Intel Core 2 Duo 6300 & 1GB of RAM. Full report: PassMark Software
(4) Human Factors International, Usability Test Report on security software, September 2008

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

Core Facts

• What is the value of a UK identity? –  Symantec, today announces that UK identities are being bought and sold in bulk-buy special offers on “cyber crime supermarket” style underground economies, according to the latest edition of its Internet Security Threat Report - Volume XIII.

 

• The bi-annual global report found that UK bank account details are being sold on underground economy servers for as little as £5, and are the most commonly advertised item for sale on these “cyber supermarket” black market forums used by criminals to advertise and trade stolen information and services.

 

• Where you live also indicates how attractive your identity is to cyber criminals as the report found that EU identities are in much higher demand, being traded at prices 50 per cent higher than American identities. This is because of the flexibility of their use, since EU citizens are able to travel and conduct business freely throughout Europe making them useful to attackers who can use the identities easily across borders.

 

• The Internet Security Threat Report also found that the higher the bank balance, the more lucrative it will be when sold on the cyber supermarket, with high value business accounts advertised for considerably more than lower balanced consumer ones. Bank accounts that bundled in personal information such as names, addresses and dates of birth were advertised at higher prices than those without this extra information – indicating how identity thieves are adopting a ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ philosophy.

 

• The Symantec report also found that cyber crime is becoming increasingly sophisticated and personalised, with an increase in attacks on the end-user consumer. When it comes to trading, identities have now become a commercial commodity with Symantec observing a new phenomenon of bulk-buying of confidential consumer data – where personal details are packaged up in bargain bundles. For example, during the last six months of 2007, Symantec observed bundles of 50 credit card numbers for sale at £20 (£0.40 each), and 500 credit card bundles for £100 (£0.20 each).

 

• After credit cards, full identities were the third most common item advertised for sale on the cyber supermarket, making up nine percent of all advertised goods, an increase from six percent in the first half of 2007. Symantec observed that identity trading is on the increase with some details being sold for as little as 50p - even stolen eBay accounts are up for grabs.

 

• The variety of personal data for sale is constantly growing as cyber criminals are constantly changing and adapting their methods to introduce new tactics to achieve their goal of identity fraud. The report found that Mailers are now one of the most popular ways cybercriminals have designed to mislead Web users. The constant developments of new methods of attack indicates that the underground economy is a mature one. The personalisation of malicious activity and the price bargains and packages available are also indicators of the economy’s sophistication.
  

Quotes

Richard Archdeacon quote:
“Our latest report has clearly identified that the underground economy market for stolen online consumer data is continuing to grow and become more aggressively driven by market forces. We are not only seeing new types of data displayed readily for sale, but also seeing more aggressive trading arrangements taking place between cyber buyer and seller. There is also an obvious shift in focus from attacks targeted at instant financial gain versus those aimed at obtaining identity information from consumers in pursuit of longer term rewards.”

 

“When new information like this report is produced it becomes even more critical that consumers are aware of how best to protect themselves and their identities when interacting in any way online. Users can take protective measures such as installing the latest Internet security and phishing protection software, ensuring passwords are strong, only ever enter credentials onto an official site and do not click through email links, and keep personal information safe . All very basic advice, but tips that could make a huge difference if consumers are targeted by a phishing attack.”

Boilerplate Statements

About the Symantec Internet Security Threat Report
The Symantec Internet Security Threat Report provides a complete view of the Internet threat environment and is the only publicly available report of its kind that publishes not only an in-depth analysis of data and trends but also the methodologies used to arrive at its findings. The purpose of the report is to provide the information needed to help consumers and enterprises effectively secure their systems now and in the future.

 

About Symantec
The Symantec Internet Security Threat Report provides a complete view of the Internet threat environment and is the only publicly available report of its kind that publishes not only an in-depth analysis of data and trends but also the methodologies used to arrive at its findings. The purpose of the report is to provide the information needed to help consumers and enterprises effectively secure their systems now and in the future.

 

If you would like to discuss these issues with Symantec or would like advice on internet security, please contact me on +44 (0)20 8834 3504 to arrange a briefing.

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.

Core Facts

• Inadequate Disaster Recovery Planning and Testing - Symantec today announced the findings of an international study indicating that while 91 percent of IT organisations carry out full scenario testing of their disaster recovery plans incorporating relevant people, processes and technologies, nearly 50 percent of those tests fail. This means that one in two UK organisations is not equipped to handle events, such as natural disasters, computer system failures and external computer threats.

 

• Nearly Half Executed Disaster Recovery Plan – Nearly half of IT organisations surveyed have had to execute their company’s disaster recovery plans. The research findings show that 48 percent of organisations have had to execute disaster recovery plans and 44 percent surveyed without a disaster recovery plan experienced one problem or disaster, while 26 percent experience two or more, and 11 percent experienced three or more. 

 

• CEO’s Not Taking Active Role in Disaster Planning – 69 percent of respondents were concerned about their company’s brand and reputation, 65 percent feared harm to overall customer loyalty, 65 percent were concerned with the impact to their competitive standing, while 64 percent were worried about losing company data in the wake of disasters. Despite this 77 percent of CEOs surveyed are still failing to take an active role on disaster planning committees. 

 

• Natural Disasters Top Concern Prompting Creation of Disaster Recovery Plan -Concerns that prompted IT organisations to create a disaster recovery plan included 69 percent citing natural disasters, 57 percent naming virus attacks and 31 percent specifying war and/or terrorism.

 

• Exposure to IT-specific Threats - 67 percent surveyed cited computer failure and 57 percent named external computer threats , while 89 percent agreed upon acceptable levels of risk with non-IT business executives in their organisation, only 33 percent have done so for all the threats to which they feel exposed.

 

Quotes

Guy Bunker quote. 
“IT executives are taking a fresh, hard look at their disaster recovery and business continuity strategies. To protect against downtime, organisations must implement high availability and disaster recovery across their enterprise environments. They must also maintain procedures for non-disruptive disaster recovery testing that continually evaluate the effectiveness of their disaster recovery strategy without impacting the production environment.  Symantec addresses these critical demands through a broad range of industry-leading services and solutions for heterogeneous environments.”

 

Boilerplate Statements

About the Symantec Disaster Recovery Research Report
The Symantec Disaster Recovery Research 2007 report is an international study highlighting business trends regarding disaster planning and preparedness.  Conducted by independent market research firm Dynamic Markets during June and July 2007, the study surveyed IT managers in large organizations across the U.S., 11 European countries, the Middle East and South Africa to gain insight and understanding into some of the more complicated factors associated with disaster recovery.

 

About Symantec
Symantec is a global leader in infrastructure software, enabling businesses and consumers to have confidence in a connected world. The company helps customers protect their infrastructure, information and interactions by delivering software and services that address risks to security, availability, compliance and performance. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in 40 countries. More information is available at www.symantec.com.

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