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Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Your credit card number is worth just $1

Look over there - it's the US that hosts the vast majority of hackers, says Internet security company Symantec - and they are selling your credit card number for a single measly dollar.
Symantec's 11th Internet Security Threat Report, based on information from 40,000 sensors deployed in more than 180 countries, shows the US with 31 percent of malicious activity originating from its networks, followed by China with 10 percent. The report also outlines the type and rise in activity being conducted. Symantec is reporting a 29 percent increase totaling more than 6 million distinct bot-infected computers worldwide during the second half of 2006 compared to the first half.
Of the type of information being stolen, Symantec reports private information such as government-issued identity numbers and credit cards is increasingly being sought after. Armed with this information, Symantec officials say cybercriminals turnaround and sell these credit card numbers from anywhere between USD$1 - $6, while identity numbers are sold from anywhere between USD$14 - $18.

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