Cost of Malicious Software Attacks Tops $11 Billion

Far East Economic Review reports that malware attacks on information systems reached $11.8 Billion (US), according to Computer Economics, a US-based research firm. Malware including Melissa, Anna Kournikova, and Code Red are not new threats, but they persist in their ability to wreak havoc on computer networks.

Despite these costs, many organizations continue to pump money into a losing battle, attempting to keep up with malicious software through an endless cycle of patches, upgrades, and tools that work after the fact to identify malicious signature patterns.

Interhack has long advocated the use of secure system design principles in the development of information systems, giving malicious software very little opportunity to penetrate networks and even less room to maneuver in the event of successful penetration.

Discussion of email-specific malware can be found in the article Why Anti-Virus Software Cannot Stop the Spread of Email Worms, available from the Interhack Research Web site. Greater discussion of strategies for building systems that resist these kinds of attacks can be found in Interhack founder Matt Curtin's new book Developing Trust: Online Privacy and Security.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, and with clients all over North America, Interhack is dedicated to the development of systems that can be trusted, despite the realities of today's Internet. Contact us to see how we can help you make your systems safe in the face of attack.