Most Computer Attacks Originate in U.S.

[Ian David]

By JORDAN ROBERTSON
AP Technology Writer

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- The United States generates more malicious computer activity than any other country, and sophisticated hackers worldwide are banding together in highly efficient crime rings, according to a new report.

Researchers at Cupertino-based Symantec Corp. also found that fierce competition in the criminal underworld is driving down prices for stolen financial information.

Criminals may purchase verified credit card numbers for as little as $1, and they can buy a complete identity - a date of birth and U.S. bank account, credit card and government-issued identification numbers - for $14, according to Symantec's twice-yearly Internet Security Threat Report released Monday.

Researchers at the security software company found that about a third of all computer attacks worldwide in the second half of 2006 originated from machines in the United States. That makes the United States the most fertile breeding ground for threats such as spam, phishing and malicious code - easily surpassing runners-up China, which generates 10 percent of attacks, and Germany, which generates 7 percent.

More:
http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/I/INTERNET_SECURITY_THREATS?SITE=WIRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[SteppingRazor]

1. Then how come every freaking spam comment to my blog...

is a ".ru" address?

Clearly, I must be huge in Russia :P

Seriously, though, this is actually a little shocking. Stories about high-level hackery almost always seem to come from somewhere in China or Eastern Europe. Is this just a matter of the U.S. having an easier time tracking these things, or are there really that many more attacks originating in the U.S.?

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. Maybe this administration is just choosing to not go after US based

computer criminals -- professional courtesy, so to speak.