Gulf States not immune from latest web threats

To begin with, Internet crime is at an all time high. In addition, it is targeted, sequential, blended with multiple components, profit-driven and Web-based.

At the inaugural location of a Pan Middle East Security tour, David Perry, Global Director of Education at Trend Micro, stated that the growing global Internet population means that the Web will increase significantly as a threat delivery vehicle.

"Human behavior is the single greatest contributor to the evolution of Internet threats and criminals know how to exploit this opportunity for them," says Perry.

"IT users, whether in a professional or consumer capacity, should always follow responsible, best-practice Internet usage policy to protect themselves from existing and emerging Web threats,"

adds Perry.

"Ignorance, arrogance, curiosity, lack of awareness and just plain human nature, can lead Internet users to put themselves at risk. At best they might realize the issue, but by then the damage is done - it's too late. Often, they don't even know their system(s) has been compromised," says Perry.

According to a recent report, Middle East Internet growth between 2000 and 2007 is the highest in the world at 920.2%. The world average growth rate is 265.6%.

The world's number one emerging Internet threat is the Botnet, a large number of compromised PCs controlled by an unauthorized entity for malicious purposes.

According to Trend's Perry, Botnets are responsible for more than 80 percent of the world's spam and generate click fraud in excess of USD one billion annually.

"Botnets are the threats to watch, and the Gulf States are not immune from these latest web threats," concluded Perry.