That’s according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which has released a web page of statistics it sends to internet service providers (ISPs) about the infections. The authority released the data in the hope it would help reduce malicious software, or malware, infections in Australia and raise awareness about how many devices are known to be infected. The web page, published on Tuesday as part of National Cyber Security Awareness Week, contains detailed statistics of malware infections reported daily to about 130 ISPs and other network operators through the Australian Internet Security Initiative (AISI).<\/p>\n
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Formed in 2005 to help address the problem of compromised computers \u2013 sometimes referred to as bots, or drones \u2013 connected to the internet, AISI collects data from various sources on devices exhibiting odd bot-like behaviour on Australian IP addresses.<\/p>\n
The detailed statistics on malware infections show that on average during this financial year about 16,500 malware reports have been provided to AISI participants each day \u2013 representing what the authority says is a “significant level of malware” affecting Australians.<\/p>\n
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“Once infected with malware, a user’s personal identity information can be stolen and their infected computing device used to harm and infect other internet users,” said Richard Bean, the authority’s deputy chairman. “Just as the internet increasingly provides rapid access to information about news, events and the activities of friends and family, it should also enable Australians to quickly get information about online risks and threats such as malware infections.”<\/p>\n
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The authority said the most prevalent infection type currently being reported are numerous variants of Zeus, which is primarily used for banking fraud, and, among other things, can intercept and modify an infected user’s online banking transactions.<\/p>\n
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