09 Dec 2009

Hackers and spammers 'hide behind trusted brands'

Hackers and spammers are likely to hijack trusted brands in order to commit data security breaches in the run-up to Christmas, it has been warned.

A new report by Symantec has found that 85 per cent of people admit they click on online images or adverts if they appear to be from a well-known company.

Social network sites are also increasingly becoming a risk, with over a fifth of users claiming they would click a link associated with such websites.

Organisations which are concerned about the security of their networks and email may find deploying Microsoft Exchange Hosted Services can help minimise the potential for malware and spam.

As well as providing online tools to protect from malware, Exchange Hosted Services can also allow firms to encrypt data.

"Having a good anti-virus on your machine is going to help you and being careful with the emails that you open. If you're not sure about it, treat it with suspicion," advised Amanda Grady, principal analyst in the anti-spam division of Symantec.