2009 Threat Predictions: Slumping Economy Drives Malware Threats

Malware is a business, and that business is thriving. Gone are the days of virus writing for notoriety. More than 90 percent of the malware written today consists of password-stealing Trojans and downloaders with one goal in mind: to find valuable data. The shift in threats from virus writing to a true cybercrime model cannot be understated. Whether it is malware, phishing, scams, spam, or any other of the myriad of threats that plague business and consumers, it can be certain much of it will center around the economy and that all of it lines the pockets of global cybercriminals.