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Crooks adapt new methods to expose users to threats

Cyber crooks are highly adaptive creatures and will readily switch to new ways of exposing internet users to online threats, depending on how successful a method is, lessons from this year show.

An article by PC World states that cyber crooks made a switch to malware when they realised that their fake emails were being blocked by internet security measures.

Instead of asking potential victims to visit dodgy websites, the crooks changed tack and started sending out browser plug-ins with hidden online threats and other malicious software.

The crooks also turned their attention to social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace, which both have millions of potential victims, with similar tactics.

However, the attacks are said to be declining as the websites have responded to the problem, says John Scarrow, general manager of safety services at Microsoft.

The article states that phishing scams will continue as the crooks are always looking for new areas to hit.

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