Simple kits to embark on sophisticated cyber crime can be bought for just a tenner, according to Web security firm Symantec, which has warned that criminals are recurited on many underground Internet forums.
The company claims 61 per cent of malicious Web attacks can be attributed to these types of kits, saying the so-called Zeus kit poses a serious threat to small businesses, which have fewer safeguards.
The kits allow criminals to tap into computer files and steal confidential data such as bank account details, and aid identity theft.
Symantec senior vice-president Stephen Trilling said: “In the past, hackers had to create their own threats from scratch, limiting the number of attackers to a small pool of highly skilled cyber criminals. Today’s attack toolkits make it relatively easy for even a novice to launch a cyber attack.
“As a result, we expect to see even more criminal activity in this area and a higher likelihood that the average user will be victimised.”
The company also claims malicious viruses lie in wait on hundreds of thousands of porn sites.
Symantec said it had detected more than 4.4 million malicious Web pages per month last year after observing over 310,000 Web domains found to be harmful, adding that nearly half of all search terms which unleashed the bugs are for adult entertainment.
