Android, Facebook Seeing Increased Cyberattacks

AVG Technologies, a provider of internet and mobile security, today launched its “AVG Community Powered Threat Report -- Q1 2011,” providing insight and background on the trends and developments in the world of online threats.

The trend in Q1-2011 is revealed to be an explosive increase in the overall number of global attacks. Within this, the most notable developments were a major increase in malicious campaigns which exploited the viral nature of Facebook users, which have increased threefold in the last 12 months.

A further area of significant concern is an explosion in Blackhole Exploit Kits, used by criminals to coordinate attacks. During one week in February 2011, Blackhole attacks jumped from a few hundred per day to an overwhelming 800,000 in a day. This activity, combined with soaring levels of Android malware, is marking an increased professionalism in the structure and operations of the organized criminals behind them.

The United States is still the dominant source of spam with English as the main language used in spam messages. However, with a Brazilian ISP as the most used internet provider and Portuguese as the second language, Brazil is a clear runner up.

With smartphones becoming more like computers, the first quarter saw a notable increase in risk for smartphone users and the Android platform in particular; AVG blocked an average of 100,000 spam and phishing text messages per day.

The open source nature of the OS as well as the open-garden approach in allowing users to install software on the mobile device opens the door for hackers to write malicious code. This is why Android users should install additional security solutions such as AVG Mobilation for Android which is helping prevent users from downloading over 10,000 infected applications a day.

“The increasing professionalism behind some of the threats clearly demonstrates the profit that can be made,” said Yuval Ben-Itzhak, chief technology officer with AVG Technologies. “These campaigns are well planned and well funded; therefore, they demand not only for very effective counter technical measures but also for the need to raise awareness among the average user.

“A Latvian gang was able to bring 600 attack servers online for just a couple of weeks in a highly targeted Blackhole attack. This resulted in over 800,000 detections per day by our servers. If this amount of investment apparently pays off for these gangs, others will probably follow soon.”

Featured

  • Paving the Way to Smart Buildings

    In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, the convergence of on-prem, edge and cloud technologies are critical. The physical security landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid digitalization of buildings and the evolving needs of modern organizations. As the buildings sector pivots towards smart, AI and data-driven operations, the integration of both edge and cloud technology has become crucial. Read Now

  • The Cybersecurity Time Bomb

    If you work in physical security, you have probably seen it: a camera, access control system, or intrusion detection device installed years ago, humming along without a single update. It is a common scenario that security professionals have come to accept as "normal." But here is the reality: this mindset is actively putting organizations at risk. Read Now

  • Deploying in a Hybrid, Cloud Environment

    The way organizations manage access control is evolving. Traditional on-premises systems come with high IT and server requirements. At the same time, fully cloud-based solutions may not meet the needs of every facility. Read Now

  • Facing Facts for Facilities

    Despite the proliferation of constantly evolving security solutions, there remains a troubling trend among many facility operators who often neglect the most important security assets within their organization. Keys and shared devices like radios, laptops and tablets are crucial to successful operations, yet many operators are managing them haphazardly through outdated storage systems like pegboards and notebooks. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Security Training Reduces Global Phishing Click Rates by 86%

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today launched its “Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report 2025” which measures an organization’s Phish-prone Percentage (PPP) — the percentage of employees likely to fall for social engineering or phishing attacks, indicating the organization’s overall susceptibility to phishing threats. This year’s report found a global average baseline PPP of 33.1%, meaning a third of employees interact with phishing simulations before taking part in best-practice security awareness training (SAT).COVER 2025-PIB-NA-Report_EN-US Read Now

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”