Web 2.0 Targeted by 2.0 out of 3.0 Hackers

Here's some more on the Websense Internet Security Report...



"Security software vendor Websense claims 95 percent of user-generated comments on blogs and message boards are either spam or contain malicious code."  (Editor's Note:  Please leave 5% of your comment below)

Social networking and user-generated content sites have become a haven for spam, spyware and phishers, according to the latest Internet security report from San Diego, Calif.-based security software maker Websense.

The report found that 95 percent of user-generated comments on blogs, message boards and chatrooms are either spam or malicious. Websense's Threat Seeker network scanned more than 40 million Web sites and 10 million e-mails every hour over the past six months to compile its research report. 

ISTS Worldwide Press Release

Thanks to ISTS for following the PIN Payments News Blog on Twitter

Hi, PIN Payments News Blog. ISTS Worldwide, Inc. (RETAILPAYMENTS) is now following your tweets on Twitter.

Fremont, Calif., Sept. 17, 2009 -PIN Payments News Blog- ISTS Worldwide Inc, a leading technology consulting organization, specializing in consumer and card processing systems, announces that it will extend its use of the Microsoft technology stack to deliver innovative payment processing solutions based on SQL Server 2008 and BizTalk Server 2009. The new solutions will provide ISTS customers with leading applications for payment switching, authorization, settlement, card-issuing and reporting. The ISTS solution competency also extends to gift and prepaid cards, loyalty, mobile payments, enrollment applications, promotions at POS, ecommerce and the mobile channels.



“At ISTS we seek to offer a fully integrated solution framework offering and believe that the advanced integration capabilities of BizTalk Server will provide the required interoperability and support for industry standards on a cost effective platform for our clients,” said Mustafa Shehabi, Sr. VP Sales & Marketing at ISTS Worldwide, Inc.



“At a time of cost-cutting and IT consolidation, the breadth of our platform and the commitment of ISTS and other payments technology leaders make Microsoft uniquely able to quickly enable participants in the payments value chain by connecting systems that drive new operational efficiencies and innovative customer experiences,” said Susan Hauser, vice president, Worldwide Financial Services, Microsoft.



Sequoia Retail Systems – an independent provider of point of sale, inventory control, mobility and ecommerce solutions for higher education institutions, contracted ISTS to implement a secure, token-based ecommerce application known as “ePOS”. The completion of this project means that its customers are assured of the highest level of security for all transactions on their site. The solution is based on Microsoft .NET 3.0 infrastructure



Sequoia CEO Jim Zaorski states, that while he appreciates the efforts of ISTS, “it is what I have come to expect from them in terms of their analytical, design, programming, and QA functions. In our view ISTS occupies a unique position among offshore contactors, they bring many years of experience focused entirely on payment and retail applications to any project on day one. Their experience with some of the largest players in the industry often make them a superior alternative to our own in house and off shore teams in terms of experience, price, and performance."



“ISTS and Microsoft will continue to partner to bring innovation in the world of consumer payments – innovation here is stifled because of legacy and archaic technology – ISTS sees a huge opportunity to extend Microsoft’s core platforms to influence back office and consumer facing applications for large and small customers alike,” said Viren Rana – CEO of ISTS Worldwide.



Source: Company press release.

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Heartland Named to Bank Technology News "FutureNow" List

Princeton, N.J., Sept. 17, 2009 -PIN Payments News Blog- Bank Technology News ranked Heartland Payment Systems(R) (NYSE: HPY), one of the nation's largest payments processors, as the #1 innovator in The FutureNow List, acknowledging the company for its work to further secure its systems and the payments ecosystem with end-to-end encryption. Heartland's new E3TM end-to-end encryption solution was described as "this year's biggest security invention."



Heartland's E3technology is being designed to safeguard cardholder data at rest and in motion throughout the lifecycle of payments transactions from the moment of card swipe ... to and through the payment processor's network ... and to the card brands.



According to the magazine, the company's E3 solution "has the greatest potential of any new product to impact the security of America's financial system in the coming year. And by bringing it to market just about seven months after the company announced the discovery of its massive data breach, Heartland wins kudos for reacting expeditiously to both save the company and set a standard for the rest of the industry to follow."



The FutureNow List is an annual security innovation ranking. It recognizes 10 companies that set themselves apart with their security innovations and the contributions these products will make to improving security within financial services organizations. Heartland was the only payments processor to make the list.



"We are honored to receive this acknowledgement from Bank Technology News in recognition of our E3 end-to-end encryption solution," said Bob Carr, Heartland's chairman and chief executive officer. "Our goal is to provide a secure and compelling solution that protects cardholders and merchants from the growing threat of cyber crime."



For more information on E3, visit E3secure.com.



Bank Technology News' FutureNow List ranking is available at: http://www.americanbanker.com/btn_issues/22_9/the-futurenow-list-1001433-1.html



About Heartland Payment Systems



Heartland Payment Systems (NYSE: HPY), the 5th largest payments processor in the United States, delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, payroll, check management and payments solutions to more than 250,000 business locations nationwide. Heartland is the founding supporter of The Merchant Bill of Rights, a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices. For more information, please visit HeartlandPaymentSystems.com, MerchantBillOfRights.com and CostOfABurger.com.



Source: Company press release.

NCR is First ATM Manufacturer to Receive PA-DSS Certification

NCR APTRA™ software meets requirements to protect sensitive customer data on ATMs



DULUTH, Ga. – NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), the global leader in ATM security, is the first ATM manufacturer to receive PA-DSS certification from the PCI Security Council. PA-DSS is a comprehensive standard intended to help organizations proactively protect customer account data, through requirements for security management, policies, procedures, network architecture, software design and other critical protective measures.



According to PCI, the goal of PA-DSS is to help software vendors and others develop secure payment applications that do not store sensitive data, such as full magnetic stripe, CVV2 or PIN data, and ensure their payment applications support compliance with the PCI DSS. Payment applications that are sold, distributed or licensed to third parties are subject to the PA-DSS requirements.



he latest version of NCR APTRA Advance NDC has been certified by PCI. APTRA Advance NDC makes it possible to drive a single application across multiple vendors’ hardware in NDC host environments. Providing many transactions “out of the box” as well as a platform for the rapid deployment of new functionality, APTRA Advance NDC drives transactions on more than 150,000 ATMs for more than 2,000 customers, making it the most popular self-service software in the world.


NCR also was the first ATM manufacturer to receive EMV certification.



“At NCR, ATM security is one of the pillars of our business, and we are committed to being at the forefront of the industry in order to protect the privacy and data of our customers and the consumers they serve,” said Michael O’Laughlin, general manager, NCR Financial Services. “More financial institutions turn to APTRA to run their ATMs than any other software, so it is critical that we work closely with PCI to certify this mission-critical software for PA-DSS compliance.”



NCR is a leading provider of hardware and software security solutions for ATMs. Among NCR’s ATM security portfolio:



NCR has sold more than 50,000 licenses of Solidcore for APTRA™, the only proven security solution to preserve system integrity and prevent malware on ATMs.



NCR’s latest family of ATMs, NCR SelfServ, is the first to introduce a protected USB architecture that is self-contained within the ATM, helping mitigate the risk of fraudulent connection of unauthorized USB devices.



Fraudulent Device Inhibitor (FDI) is an external illuminated hardware feature or kit that makes it difficult for criminals to attach foreign devices on or around an NCR ATM card reader.



Intelligent Fraud Detection (IFD) is a unique approach to countering ATM fraud. Designed to be flexible, NCR IFD can detect a variety of fraudulent devices that criminals may attempt to add to the ATM fascia. The deployer receives an instant alert as soon as a fraudulent device has been added to the ATM, even before any fraud has taken place.



About NCR Corporation

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a global technology company leading how the world connects, interacts and transacts with business. NCR’s assisted- and self-service solutions and comprehensive support services address the needs of retail, financial, travel, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, gaming and public sector organizations in more than 100 countries. NCR (www.ncr.com) is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia.



# # #



NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries.

67% of Banks Say Fraud Losses Have Grown Over Past Year

Latest research from Norkom Technologies exposes banks’ increased vulnerability to fraud and diminished ability to prevent it

Dublin, Ireland - 250 financial crime professionals working in banks across the globe say measures taken by their organizations to reduce costs in the wake of last year’s financial crisis are leaving them and their customers increasingly vulnerable to criminal attack.

Respondents in Norkom’s annual survey of financial crime fighting activities in the world’s banks, say that cuts to their own departmental spending plans are weakening their ability to keep pace with a rising tide of criminal attack and that general cost cutting across their businesses is further weakening the banks’ defenses.

• 71% of respondents say fraud attacks against their business have increased over the past year and it’s clear that, not only the number, but the severity of attacks is rising.

• 67% say their financial losses to fraud have grown over the same period.  For almost a quarter (22%) that growth has been greater than one-fifth. 

At the same time, around a third have seen their financial crime prevention budgets reduced.  For some, those cuts have been dramatic. 12% say they’ve lost a quarter of their anti-money laundering (AML) budget.  The figure is only slightly lower for fraud at 9%. 50% agree that general cost-cutting across their organizations is weakening their defenses.

“It’s ironic that the very actions banks are taking to shore up their damaged finances may sabotage their chances of recovery,” says David Dixon, Norkom’s Director of Global Solutions. “However, we do see a path out of the dilemma. There is clear evidence that advanced crime fighting approaches, underpinned by consolidated technologies, can reduce fraud losses and, simultaneously, reduce operating costs in crime fighting departments.”

Last year’s research revealed that 64% of organizations had reduced operating costs by up to 30% by using consolidated crime fighting technologies.  66% also said their ability to detect crime had improved by up to 40%.  This year’s research reinforces those findings.  79% of respondents using a consolidated technology approach said that it had allowed them to improve their ‘percentage of fraud detected’ performance (the amount of fraud detected and prevented as a proportion of total fraud reported to them by their customers).  63% have also seen their operating costs decrease.

There is clear evidence, too, that technology can help in another way, directly in relation to fraud. 56% of all companies using common case and workflow management tools within their fraud technology solutions are achieving dramatic reductions in their fraud losses, thanks to the ability it gives them to take action quickly to stop crime in its tracks.

“In the final analysis, two lessons emerge from this research,” says Dixon. "First, that attempts to save money by cutting financial crime budgets are likely to be counter-productive. Second, that fraud losses can be reduced through the use of consolidating technologies which, in turn, allow business processes to be streamlined. So, if the twin imperatives are to cut losses and stem costs, there’s good news on both fronts.”

42% of respondents say they now have a single software solution – deployed enterprise-wide – to detect and investigate AML; 17%, for fraud.  48% of the remainder have deployed an overarching technology that consolidates information from their different detection systems in order to enhance investigation management. A further 30% plan to implement such technology within the next 12 to 24 months.

For your free copy of Norkom’s research whitepaper, ‘Fighting crime – defending the bottom line’, log onto www.norkom.com/press/whitepapers.html.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Research methodology

This report is based upon original research conducted among senior executives from a representative sample of international financial services organizations.  The respondent group covered the full spectrum of financial services companies including retail banks, commercial banks and integrated financial services companies.  41% of the organizations polled had assets between US$10 billion and US$500 billion, while 12% had assets over US$500 billion.

About Norkom Technologies (www.norkom.com)

Norkom Technologies (AIM: NORK.L, IEX: NORK.IE) enables financial organizations to take intelligent action, control defenses, and evolve strategies against fraud, money laundering, and other types of financial crime. By combining a unique investigative technology platform with deep domain expertise, Norkom has established a solid track record of reducing financial losses, protecting users’ reputations, improving operational efficiencies and lowering the cost of information technology.

For more information, please contact:

Fiona McLoughlin, Marketing Manager

T:                +35318739612       

E: fiona.mcloughlin@norkom.com 

Credit Card Launced by Mobile Network Operator

Credit card launched by mobile network operator



Mobile network operator mobilkom austria has launched a credit card, in conjunction with its wholly-owned bank and Visa Europe, that provides a range of mobile services.



The A1 Visa card is issued by Al Bank – mobilkom austria’s own bank – and enables users to collect points for a new A1 mobile phone, as well as providing transaction confirmation and answering queries via SMS. This means that after each transaction, cardholders receive a text message showing the amount and the receiver of the payment. In addition, A1 Visa cardholders are entitled to a mobile insurance package.



Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO of mobilkom austria and Telekom Austria, said the mobile network operator is the first player to offer its clients a combination of a classic finance product and mobile services.



Kurt Tojner, country manager for Visa Europe Austria, said: “We are happy to offer an innovative payment solution in co-operation with A1 that will provide users with a combination of mobile communication services and the large Visa retail network. This will open up the way to the development of mobile payment solutions, such as the use of Visa’s payWave wireless technology.”



Ametsreiter added that the co-operation between mobilkom austria and Visa Europe opens up many opportunities for new synergies. “The next step could be to integrate the A1 Visa card into the next generation of NFC-enabled mobile phones, thus creating a wireless payment method. The result will be an entirely new form of safe and convenient cashless mobile payment,” said Ametsreiter.

Issue: 2009/16 Date: 17 Sep 2009

How SSL Encrypted Web Connections Are Intercepted

	September 17, 2009		Published by	SearchSecurity.com

Threat Monitor

	How SSL-encrypted Web connections are intercepted
	Sherri Davidoff, Contributor Encrypted Web connections are routinely intercepted by enterprises for legitimate reasons. Unfortunately, attackers can use the same methods for tapping into "secure" connections, most often because of endpoint weaknesses. In this tip, we'll examine how enterprises and attackers intercept Web connections that are encrypted using the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol or its predecessor, the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol. Read more

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Webinar: Global Payments Study Reveals Need for Increased Connectivity

COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR Global Payments Study Reveals Requirements for Increased Connectivity Between Suppliers, Buyers, Banks and Other Trading Partners Guest Speakers: Laurie McCulley, Principal, Treasury Strategies Martin Bina, Treasury Operations Manager, European Shared Services, Caterpillar, Inc. Many corporations are challenged by lack of infrastructure to support routing and approval of payments.  As a result, many corporations still operate off of spreadsheets in a highly manual environment.  This causes poor visibility to cash out-flows, high operational costs and risk of fraud.  Compounding these challenges, many companies also rely on a fragmented array of systems for bank and enterprise connectivity. According to a recent SunGard AvantGard sponsored study, 30% of corporations in the 5B+ category are managing with 21 or more cash management banks. Additionally, 40% report that they are operating with 11 or more payment initiation systems, and 25% of the total have more than 21 systems. Core to a successful payments strategy is the value that can be generated for trading partners when true collaboration and connectivity is created.  The value is in gaining data transparency, efficiency and networking across the financial supply chain and the ability to accelerate the velocity of free cash flow.  Register Now to attend this complimentary webinar to learn how streamlining connectivity and consolidating data can help reduce friction and attain visibility across the EcoSystem of buyers, suppliers and other trading partners which can help facilitate supply chain finance and uncover hidden cash and opportunities.  Learn how advancements in bank and enterprise connectivity are helping set the stage for the future of supply chain finance. Webinar Topics: Overview of Key Findings Bank Communication The Role of SWIFT, SEPA, Payment Factories Best Practices from Caterpillar Approved for 1 CTP/CCM recertification credit by the Association for Financial Professionals Webinar Details: Date: October 1, 2009 Time: 11:00 AM EST Approximate Duration: 1 hour Guest Speakers: Laurie McCulley, Principal, Treasury Strategies Martin Bina, Treasury Operations Manager, European Shared Services, Caterpillar, Inc.

First Data Recognized for Exceptional Support of Military Employees & Families

CEO Capellas accepted 2009 Freedom Award in Washington, D.C.



ATLANTA - PIN Payments News Blog - SEPT. 17, 2009 - First Data Chairman and CEO Michael Capellas was presented with the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award today at the annual awards banquet in Washington, D.C.



The award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for outstanding support shown to their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. Editor's Note:  KUDOS to First Data!



Rob Lawrence, Director of Vendor Relationship Management at First Data and Command Sgt. Maj. for the Colorado National Guard, nominated First Data for its efforts to support the National Guard and other military employees.



Capellas said, "I am honored to accept the Freedom Award on behalf of First Data's 26,000 employees worldwide. We are extremely proud to support our employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserves. They demonstrate their dedication every day whether it is serving our country or our company."



First Data offers a variety of benefits to employees and their families during military deployment. Some of these include providing differential pay between military pay and First Data salary and continuing family medical and life insurance benefits. Lawrence also cites Capellas' efforts to personally contact families of deployed service members as well as employees' activities such as sending care packages to deployed troops during the holidays and volunteering at local Veterans Hospitals.



"First Data has supported me since 1982 through an active duty leave of absence, three combat tours and more than 20 annual training periods," said Lawrence. "By nearly every measure, this company has gone to extraordinary lengths to support their guardsmen and reservists and their families."



The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) to recognize exceptional support from the employer community. More than 3,200 National Guard and Reserve members or their family members from across the country nominated their employers for the Award this year.



"In the eight years our nation has been at war, America's employers - almost universally - have done an outstanding job of supporting their Citizen Warrior employees," said Dennis M. McCarthy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. "These fifteen employers are the 'best of the best' this year. They reflect the powerful synergy that exists between the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve, and their employers."



In the past, First Data also has received numerous Patriot Awards and the Pro Patria Award, including several awarded this year.



About First Data

First Data powers the global economy by making it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services using virtually any form of electronic payment. Whether the choice of payment is a gift card, a credit, debit card or a check, First Data securely processes the transaction and harnesses the power of the data to deliver intelligence and insight for millions of merchant locations and thousands of card issuers in 36 countries. For more information, visit www.firstdata.com.



About ESGR

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972 that seeks to promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees. ESGR recognizes outstanding support, increases awareness of the law, and resolves conflicts through mediation. More information is available at www.esgr.mil.



Media Contact

Elizabeth Grice, First Data

303-967-8526; elizabeth.grice@firstdata.com

Phillip Johnson, Susan Davis International

202-414-.0797; pjohnson@susandavis.com

Visa Takes It's Interchange Fight to the Streets

Consumers to Retailers: Don't Make Us Pay Your Business Costs



Source: Visa Press Release:  San Francisco, Sept. 17, 2009 -PIN Payments News Blog- Consumers believe retailers benefit far more from accepting credit and debit cards than they pay in costs, according to a new survey released today by Visa Inc. The survey also finds that consumers believe merchants see card cost acceptance as a part of doing business, much like paying for utilities such as electricity.



Retailers and their well-funded trade associations have filed lawsuits and are aggressively lobbying Congress to allow them to shift their business costs to consumers by allowing merchants to charge checkout fees whenever consumers use credit or debit cards. At the same time, national convenience store chains have launched misleading, in-store petition campaigns to cover for their checkout fee efforts.

"The response is loud and clear: consumers aren't buying the message convenience store chains and big retailers are selling," said Bill Sheedy, group president of the Americas for Visa Inc. "This research demonstrates that consumers are well aware that legislation is a Trojan horse that likely will lead to higher prices for cardholders while retailers pocket the savings."

Among the survey's findings:

• By a 2-to-1 margin, consumers say retailers should pay the cost of accepting credit and debit cards.
  
  


• 78 percent of consumers believe the value and benefits retailers receive from accepting credit and debit cards outweigh the costs of accepting them.
  
  


• 83 percent of those surveyed believe that any savings retailers realize will be used to increase their own bottom lines and will not be passed on to consumers.
  
  


• 91 percent of consumers say they are more likely to shop at stores that accept credit and debit cards.
  
  
  
  

The research shows consumers understand that retailers benefit greatly from electronic payments whether it is through guaranteed payment, increased security, acceptance, innovation or even store-brand cards that help build customer loyalty.



"Retailers want the best of both worlds - the benefits of card acceptance without paying the costs," Sheedy added. "This research shows that retailers who are campaigning for checkout fees or uneven legislative schemes that shift the cost of doing business onto the backs of consumers are risking a customer backlash."



Currently ten states protect consumers from card checkout fees, also known as surcharging, and Visa has rules that prohibit retailers from penalizing consumers who use their branded credit, debit or prepaid cards. Unfortunately, a number of retailers are seeking to evade Visa rules and state laws by attempting to shift their cost of doing business onto consumers who use electronic payments through checkout fees.



DON'T PAY ADDITIONAL FEES AT CHECKOUT

• Look for posted signs in stores (generally at the checkout counter) that advertise an extra fee for using a credit or debit card.
  
  


• Check store receipts carefully for card checkout fees. They often appear after taxes on receipts, sometimes next to obscure descriptions.


• Tell the checkout clerk or store manager that charging a checkout fee for using a credit or debit card is not permitted.


• If cardholders experience a retailer who is charging checkout fees, they should call their card issuer (by calling the number on the back of their card) and provide the customer service representative with the name and location of the retailer.


• Consumers who are subjected to payment card checkout fees in states  where they are protected by law may report the retailer to their state attorney general's office.
  
  

About the Survey



The nationally representative telephone survey of 1,000 adult consumers was conducted by Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates from July 20-23, 2009 and has a margin of error of +/-3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.



About Visa



Visa operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network providing processing services and payment product platforms. This includes consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments, which are offered under the Visa, Visa Electron, Interlink and PLUS brands. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world and Visa/PLUS is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com .



Source: Company press release.

Discover Profit Triples with Antitrust Settlement, Cost Cuts

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES - via Wall Street Journal

Discover Financial Services' (DFS) fiscal third-quarter earnings more than tripled on payments from an antitrust settlement along with a 14% drop in costs.



Meanwhile, the credit-card company saw charge-offs rise while 90-day delinquencies showed a rare pullback from the prior quarter.



Shares recently rose 4.37% premarket to $15.99. Having doubled from a low in March, the stock is down 12% from a year earlier through Wednesday's close.



The credit-card industry is reeling from credit losses as the recession pushes the U.S. unemployment rate to its highest level in a quarter century. Hoping to offset those problems, Discover has cut jobs and marketing spending.



For the quarter ended Aug 31, the company posted a profit of $577.5 million, or $1.07 a share, compared with a profit of $180.1 million, or 37 cents a share, a year earlier. The latest quarter included $287 million from the antitrust deal with Visa Inc. (V) and MasterCard Inc. (MA). Payments will continue for several more quarters.



Pretax earnings at the company's U.S. card segment more than tripled to $913 million amid the antitrust gain. On a managed basis, which includes securitized loans still managed, Discover's loan-loss provision was $924.4 million, down 17% from the previous quarter and up 23% from the prior year.



Charge-offs rose to 8.39% from 7.79% and 5.2%, respectively and the 30-day delinquency rate rose to 5.1% from 5.08% and 3.85%. However, the 90-day rate slipped to 2.6% from 2.73% last quarter, although it was up from 1.88% a year ago. A slowdown in credit-card delinquencies will likely encourage investors that late payments and write-offs will be reaching their peak soon.



Credit-card sales volume declined 7%, highlighting continued cutbacks in consumer spending.



In June, Fitch Ratings lowered Discover's individual rating, an assessment of intrinsic creditworthiness excluding any external support. By becoming a bank-holding company, Discover got $1.2 billion in funds under the Troubled Asset Relief Program; it hasn't said when it will pay the money back, but may use some funds from a $500 million stock offering in July.





-By Joan E. Solsman, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2291; joan.solsman@dowjones.com

671% Growth in Malicious Web Sites - WebSense

Websense revealed the findings from its bi-annual research report. Its security labs identified a 233 percent growth in the number of malicious sites in the last six months and 671 percent growth in the number of malicious sites during the last year.



In the first half of 2009, 77 percent of Web sites with malicious code are legitimate sites that have been compromised. This high percentage was maintained over the past six months due in part to widespread attacks including Gumblar, Beladen and Nine Ball which aimed to compromise trusted and known Web properties with massive injection campaigns.



According to the report, efforts to self police Web 2.0 properties have been largely ineffective...

Websense Security Labs report - State of Internet Security, Q1-Q2 2009

The first half of 2009 saw a number of big exploits and an escalation of attacks using the dynamic elements of popular Web 2.0 sites to infect users’ computers and perpetrate fraud. Additionally, the Websense Security Labs found a massive increase in the number of malicious sites which increased 233 percent over the six month period.



Attackers continued to use blended threats (spam emails with embedded URLs) to lure victims to spam and malicious Web sites with 85.6 percent of all unwanted emails in circulation during this period containing links to spam sites and/or malicious Web sites. The rise of blended threats illustrates that Web security intelligence is a critical component of any email and data security strategy.



Today’s threats are leading to the Web, whether as the vector of the attack or simply the route in which stolen, confidential data is transmitted. Further underscoring the growth of the Web as the primary threat vector, during the first half of 2009 Websense Security Labs discovered:

-  233% growth in the number of malicious sites in the last six months and a 671% growth during the last year.

-  77% of Web sites with malicious code are legitimate sites that have been compromised.

-  95% of comments to blogs, chat rooms and message boards are spam or malicious.

-  57% of data-stealing attacks are conducted over the Web.

-  85.6% of all unwanted emails in circulation contained links to spam sites and/or malicious Web sites. 

These discoveries, along with details on other exploits and analysis of Web, email and data security trends during the first half of 2009 are explored in the Websense Security Labs “State of Internet Security” report.



The full report is available here: www.websense.com/downloadthreatreport



An archived Webcast presentation about the report can be found here: http://www.websense.com/content/ProductResources.aspx





Watch the video overview of the findings below, or by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNu1TXNYArI