Computer security firm Norton reveals 100 most dangerous websites

Friday, 21 August 2009 10:34
Patrick Stafford

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Computer security software provider Norton Symantec has released a list of the 100 most dangerous websites on the internet, and has warned businesses to ensure they have property security to avoid being affected by malware.

The list of the top 100 dirtiest websites contain large amounts malware - malicious software designed to attack a person's computer to either obtain private information, or control it for another purpose.

While some of the sites have benign names - one is called kingfamilyphotoalbum.com - simply visiting one of the websites on the list would most likely result in a computer being infected with malware or other viruses. Hackers could use these viruses to obtain information from the computer by installing "keyloggers" - software which monitors and records each keystroke made.

Hackers who commit credit card fraud usually admit to using some type of malware, including keylogging software, to steal personal and financial details.

Norton says the top 100 sites have, on average, about 18,000 threats with about 40 containing more than 20,000 threats.

About 75 websites were found to be installing malware on other machines for more than six months, with over 50 of the websites containing hard-core pornography.

But other websites do not appear to contain adult material, with some appearing to offer advice on every-day hobbies such as ice-skating, deer-hunting and even catering services.

Norton Symantec spokesperson Natalie Connor says businesses should take notice of the list and ensure their computer systems at work are safe.

"I guess the whole point as to why we want to get this across, is that while most businesses are pretty good at this, I think many of them just don't have the resources. Many small businesses may only operate with a handful of people, so they just don't have the facilities to have a dedicated, on-site IT department."

Connor says businesses should also be aware of emerging trends in regards to computer viruses and malware, as Norton says the number of threats is growing.

"There is an increase in the number of threats we are seeing, and the amount of effort we are putting in to stopping these threats is also growing. The trend is genuinely on the rise."

"But all want to do is make sure people are aware about these things. We're going to recommend they have some sort of security in place, but also make sure they are educating themselves on the actual trend. They should be reading and watching things about cybercrime, practicing not sharing your password or details about your web account. If you have a network, lock it down. Simple things like that can protect you."

Norton has provided the following sample of sites on the list. Be warned, many of these sites contain malware.