Microsoft Security Intelligence Report 2010: Adware and Social Network Phishing Threats on the Rise

The latest Microsoft Security Intelligence Report has been released revealing the surprising fact of phishing sites that target social networks have become the most active, accounting for only 4.2 percent of active phishing sites, received 84.5 percent of all impressions recently. This data is suggestive that the number of malicious sites targeting social networks is on a steady incline with no signs of a slowdown in sight.

For 5 years now, Microsoft has released a semi-yearly Security Intelligence Report which provides an in-depth perspective on exploits, malicious code, software vulnerabilities, potentially unwanted software and other dangerous threats lurking on the Internet. Covering the remainder of year 2010, some of the more astonishing key findings are the increasing trends of adware attacks, steady influx of rogue anti-malware programs, and the increased activity of phishing sites that specifically target social networks.

Data found on Microsoft's Security Intelligence Report (SIR) is collected by a number of different Microsoft teams partly compromised of those who work on MS Security Essentials products, Internet Explorer's Smartscreen filter and the Malicious Software Removal Tool. This year the 10th edition of this semi-annual SIR report expands on information gathered on an international level including data specific to 117 countries.

Highlighting the key findings in the latest SIR will reveal only a small scope of what is happening over the Internet when it comes to computer security. Another new trend to point out on the current SIR is a well-established trend of increasing Windows infections. Finally, newer versions of Windows are showing higher infections rates than older ones. The report is also indicative to point out that 32-bit versions of Windows 7 currently have a higher infection rate than the trendy 64-bit versions. With 64-bit versions of Windows growing at a faster rate than 32-bit versions recently, it would be prudent to think that cybercrooks will develop new creative ways to target 64-bit versions of Windows 7.

Social networks have been the brunt of all types of scandalous malware attacks and scams more so in the recent year than any other time. The latest SIR will point out increasing trends related to social network phishing attacks but what it fails to explain are the specific scams that are carried out on popular social networks such as Facebook. Facebook has turned into a hacker hunting ground were they seek out literally hundreds of millions of wild game in the form of Facebook users. Some of the most popular scams on Facebook involve peculiar phishing scams that can basically steal a person's identity and money at the same time. These are the major threats that computer users should be on the lookout for instead of the idea of a generalized social network phishing attacks outlined in Microsoft's SIR.

Have you ever looked at Microsoft's Security Intelligence Report? Are you ever surprised at the findings outlined in the report or have they helped change the way you conduct business or personal affects over the internet including social network behavior?