Software vulnerabilities that open computers up to malicious attacks are reaching record levels, while the methods hackers use to exploit them become more sophisticated, a new report warns.
A total of 1862 new vulnerabilities were announced between January 1 and June 30 2005, according to computer-security firm Symantec, based in Los Angeles, California, US, in its biannual Internet Security Threat Report on Monday.
This is a 31% increase from the second half of 2004 and a 46% increase over the same time period last year. Ninety seven per cent of the vulnerabilities were “severe” and 73% were classified as “easily exploitable”.
“This is the highest number of reported vulnerabilities we have seen in a 6-month period,” says security expert Dave Cole of Symantec. Johannes Ullrich of the Sans Institute’s Internet Storm Centre in Jacksonville, Florida, US, has also documented a rise in the number of vulnerabilities in the last two quarters.
15:18 19 September 2005
NewScientist.com news service
Celeste Biever
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November 18, 2005
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