Security Slideshow: Malicious Attacks Skyrocket As Hackers Explore New Targets

Attacks on the Rise

5.5 billion malicious attacks were blocked in 2011, with 4,595 Web attacks blocked per day. That's up from 3 billion in 2010.

Vulnerabilities Decline

4,989 new vulnerabilities were identified in 2011, down from 6.253 in 2010.

Targeted Attacks

The number of targeted attacks rose from an average of 77 per day in 2010 to 82 per day in 2011.

Targeted Attacks Aim at SMBs

Businesses targeted: • 50% -- Enterprises (2,500+ employees)• 32% -- Midmarket companies (250 to 2,500 employees) • 18% -- Small Businesses (under 250 employees)

Who Do Hackers Target?

• Executive Level - 25%• Shared Mailbox - 23%• Sales - 12%• Research & Development - 9%• Senior Management - 8%

Mobile Threat

Mobile malware increased in 2011 by 93% over 2010 levels.

Lost or Stolen Mobile Devices

Lost or stolen laptops, smartphones, tablets and hard drives accounted for 34% of data breaches in 2011.

Millions Exposed

More than 232.4 million identities were exposed during data breaches in 2011, approximately 1.1 million per breach.

Data Breach Targets

Computer Software, IT and healthcare organizations accounted for 93.0% of the total number of identities stolen.

Spam in Decline

An estimated 42 billion spam emails were sent daily in 3011, down from 62 billion in 2010.