Over 40 percent of all businesses are suffering disruptions due to malware

Webroot Software unveiled a report to alert companies of all sizes to the growth and increasing sophistication of malware. According to the Webroot State of Internet Security report, 43 percent of companies surveyed globally have suffered a business disruption due to malware. The report also details the significant cost and legal implications of inadequate protection and offers businesses best practices to thwart unnecessary data security breaches.

According to Webroot’s study, over 40 percent of the companies surveyed reported business losses from a variety of spyware related issues. The most unsettling finding is that 26 percent of enterprises reported that confidential information had been compromised as a result of spyware. At the heart of this alarming trend is the rate of spyware infection:

* 39 percent of companies reported Trojan horse attacks;
* 24 percent reported system monitor attacks; and,
* 20 percent reported pharming and keylogger attacks.

Despite this growing threat and the legal and regulatory compliance measures in place, the latest Small Business Technology Institute report has found that 20 percent of all companies don’t even have adequate virus protection, two-thirds did not have an information security plan, and many only make a security decision after suffering a damaging information security incident.

The State of Internet Security report is issued quarterly as an in-depth review and analysis of the most pressing computer and data security-related concerns. Each report focuses on a specific aspect of information security, and provides industry data, trends and best practices in light of the threat landscape.