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Today BitDefender®, an award-winning provider of innovative internet security solutions, released a report that found the first half of 2010 saw a rise of worms exploiting various Web 2.0 platforms. The report examined data from January through June 2010 and found social networks and Web 2.0 services have become one of the most valuable channels of malware dissemination during the last six months, while phishers focused on impersonating PayPal and eBay, and pharmacy spam volume now makes up two-thirds of all spam.

Spam and Phishing Trends in First Half of 2010

Financial institutions were cyber-criminals’ preferred targets, constituting more than 70 percent of global phishing messages. Social networks also came under heavy fire, as user profiles are a rich source of personal information and compromised accounts may be effectively used in spear phishing attacks. For the first half of 2010, phishers focused on impersonating PayPal and eBay. The HSBC Bank ranks third, while Poste Italiane and EGG conclude the list of the most abused online identities.

World’s Top 10 Phishing Targets January – June 2010

The FIFA World Cup™ and the massive floods in Guatemala were two of the many events used for Black-Hat SEO optimization to improve the ranking of various malware-serving websites in the first half of 2010. The period also saw spam messages grow to 86 percent of the total email, driven by pharmacy spam, which reached new heights – jumping from 51 to 66 percent of all spam.

The spam breakdown by type for the first half of 2010 is:

About BitDefender®
BitDefender is the creator of one of the industry’s fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified security software. Since its inception in 2001, BitDefender has continued to raise the bar and set new standards in proactive threat prevention. Every day, BitDefender protects tens of millions of home and corporate users across the globe – giving them the peace of mind of knowing that their digital experiences will be secure. BitDefender solutions are distributed by a global network of value-added distribution and reseller partners in more than 100 countries worldwide. More information about BitDefender and its products are available at the company’s security solutions press room. Additionally, BitDefender’s www.malwarecity.com provides background and the latest updates on security threats helping users stay informed in the everyday battle against malware.

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