Hi-tech criminals are racking up more than 100 attacks a second on the world’s computers, a survey suggests. The wave of attacks was driven by a steep rise in malicious software in circulation, said the annual report.The number of malware (malicious software) samples that Symantec saw in 2009 was 71% higher than in 2008. – According to an article on BBC. The reason for the steep rise in crime is the easy availability of toolkits. some are free. Some very pricey like $700.Some offer telephone support! Support to do a crime? Mindboggling! The reason these kits are popular is simple. It is easy money. And hard to get caught. The latest trend is to scour social network site to get details and tailor the spam accordingly. Some tips to avoid getting caught into these scams & viruses

• Use security software that can tackle viruses and spyware
• Use a firewall
• Apply operating system updates as soon as they become available
• Be suspicious of unsolicited e-mails bearing attachments
• Keep your browser up to date

I have some customers ask me about the last point. They never update new release of browsers. The reason for the update is to patch up a security loophole in many cases.