"While discussing the rapid growth of Web-delivered malware, an industry colleague commented that the Web is like a city where everyone lives in straw houses and 10 percent of inhabitants are arsonists."

That parallel is uncomfortably close to the truth. According to researchers at PandaLabs, an average of 37,000 new malware samples are discovered and processed each day.  Over half--52 percent--of that malware will be reconfigured within 24 hours of its release in an effort to evade signature-based scanners. Those who had their systems infected in the first 24 hours of the malware's existence will continue to have an active, functioning infection. At the same time, the malware itself has become far more sophisticated and insidious in both its payload and its intent.

According to ScanSafe Stat research, Web-delivered data-theft Trojans have increased 4,955 percent since 2007 and 1,424 percent just over the past year.

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