Are Legitimate Sites the Next Malware Threat?
We all know that opening e-mail from unknown senders is a major security no-no. But how about visiting your bank's Web site? Or your favorite online business magazine?
According to a new study from IBM, even those activities pose growing danger to Web surfers. The company's latest X-Force Trend and Risk report found that businesses' sites are increasingly likely to expose customers to security threats because they fail to keep them properly updated with the latest software patches. That failure makes it easy for hackers to sneak malware onto legitimate sites that steals personal information or takes over visitors' PCs to create botnets.
"Web applications, in particular, are increasingly vulnerable and highly profitable targets for helping the criminal underground build botnet armies," the report said.
