F-Secure characterises the data security world in 2002 by new types of threats. Virus outbreaks in Linux systems, attacks utilizing open source code, breaks into home computers and increasing activity of Asian virus writers kept data security companies busy. Known viruses today amount to some 80,000.
However, they noted that the number of serious outbreaks was lower than 2001 and no mobile or PDA viruses were seen. They cited a more strict attitude towards crimes directed at the society in the USA since September 2001 for the considerably decrease in the number of viruses from the US.
"Attacks against data systems will increase and they will become more and more professional. New, fast network worm technologies may lead into a situation where a worm spreads around the world in just a few minutes after it has been launched. These attacks can be done by hackers, hactivists, industrial spies, terrorist groups or organized crime. Society must be able to function in spite of such network warfare," says Mikko Hyppönen, Manager of Anti-Virus Research at F-Secure.