Web-based malware on legit sites soars

The amount of web-based malware on legitimate sites has increased by over 400 percent since last year, according to security vendor ScanSafe.

In a security report entitled A comparative look at the state of web security, May 2007-May 2008, released on Thursday, ScanSafe found 68 percent of all internet-based malware was now being hosted on legitimate sites.

"The compromise techniques being used now allow hackers to quickly 'colonise' thousands of legitimate sites, from big brand-name sites, to smaller but equally legitimate sites," said Mary Landesman, senior security researcher at ScanSafe.