In recent times, there has been a major increase in the overall figures presented by anti spyware/malware software producers. Quote:
As the spyware industry becomes more sophisticated, the statistics become more staggering. Have a look at just a few of the facts and figures that show how widespread these ‘cyber crimes’ are in today’s technological world.
IC3’s Internet Crime Report, 2007
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 206,884 complaints of web-based crimes during 2007.
Internet crime is at a record high with nearly $240 million U.S. in reported losses during 2007, a $40 million increase from 2006.
FTC's Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaint Data, Feb. 2008
Identity theft continues to top the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's annual report on consumer fraud complaints, accounting for 32% of the 813,899 complaints received between January 1 and December 31, 2007.
Consumer Reports, State of the Net 2007
In the first half of 2007, spyware infections prompted 850,000 U.S. households to replace their computers.
1 out of every 11 surveyed had a major, often costly problem due to spyware.
The economic fallout per incident was $100, with damage totalling $1.7 billion.
Consumer Spyware Initiative
Although as many as 90% of U.S. home computers have been infected with spyware at some time, a majority of PC owners don't know how to solve the problem.
Javelin Strategy and Research, Jan. 2007
Americans lost about $49.3 billion US in 2006 to criminals who stole their identities.
Infonetics Research's Costs of Network Security Attacks: North America 2007
Small and medium-sized organisations have "major problems" with spyware - representing 40% of all security downtime costs.
Large U.S. organisations lose an average of 2.2% of their annual income - more than $30 million - to security attacks.
Gartner, IT Summit, Sept. 2006
Over the next two years, it is estimated 20% to 50% of companies will become infected with spyware.
By 2008, 40% of organizations will be targeted by "financially-motivated cybercrime".
Reuters, Sept. 2006
The FBI estimates all types of computer crime in the U.S. costs industry about $400 billion while in Britain the Department of Trade and Industry said computer crime had risen by 50 percent over the last two years.
National Cyber Security Alliance, 2006 Online Fraud Report
Two-thirds of consumers who use the Internet for financial transactions are extremely or very concerned about giving their personal or financial information to a fake website, and of hackers stealing financial information from their computers.
67% of those surveyed could not identify a secure website.
National Cyber Security Alliance, 2005 Online Safety Study
81% of home computers lack core protection (updated anti-virus software, a firewall, and spyware protection).
38% of home computers lack any spyware protection software.
68% keep sensitive information, like personal correspondence, professional records, and financial information, on their home computers.
74% use the Internet for sensitive transactions from their home computers, such as banking or reviewing personal medical information.
CMO Council 2006 Consumer Audits
65% of European and American respondents, on average, have experienced security problems, like viruses and spyware.
1 in 6 has had his/her personal information lost or compromised.
U.S. consumers are more worried about identity theft and fraud than any other security concern, even personal safety and terrorist attacks.
Statistical info Source: Lavasoft
CTEK-Solutions provide support information relating to removal and continued protection against internet born threats.
We also provide a free 'Remote diagnostics' service and have designed our site around the requirements of partially sighted and blind users.
Spyware and other malicious software is directly responsible for most of the personal data loss. This information can include passwords and usernames, banking details and at least keyboard logging and internet usage tracking.
Spyware and malware is also responsible for the majority of minor computer instabilities encountered on Windows operating systems these days.
Without effective protection against all of these threats, you can leave your personal data and computer open to abuse.
Threats can range from spyware using your computer to send spam/bulk emails to other internet users, often copying and using your address book in the process.
More malicious threats can include phishing for your banking details and ultimately stealing money from your accounts.
I would also like to ask all readers to vote on my anti-spyware petition. helping toward the fight against internet crime and threats. Click here to view and sign our 'anti-spyware' petition.
I have over the years cleaned more than 200 computer systems that have not used adequate protection from this type of internet threat, and as a result I have had to clean more than 200~400 malicious items on a first scan sweep on each computer system.
Most people report that thier computer was becoming extremely slow and often even completely un-responsive.
This is the common side-effect of infections building up and bogging the whole system down with undesirable processes, often running in stealth to prevent easy removal.
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Contributor's Note
We have a right to privacy whilst using the internet, however recent advances in spyware/malware software have made it all the more difficult to protect one's personal information from the ever increasing onslaught.
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