Cyber attacks threaten global commerce

Based on the number of internet users, 80 per cent of cyber attacks are coming from just 10 countries, according to a security services specialist.

The Internet Security Threat Report Volume II, from US security firm Riptech, found that less than one per cent of all internet assailants could be classed as cyber terrorists. Just five countries are deemed by the US to be 'terrorist states'.

The report stated that there has been a 64 per cent increase in internet attacks in the past six months.

Covering 400 companies in over 30 countries, Riptech found that 70 per cent of power and energy companies suffered a severe attack in the past six months, up from 57 per cent in the previous six-month period.

The US, Germany, South Korea, China, France, Canada, Italy, Taiwan, the UK and Japan produce eighty per cent of all cyber attacks.

"As a critical global infrastructure, the internet is crucial to international commerce," said Riptech head Amit Yoran, who expressed concern over the rising number of cyber attacks this year.

But the figures contradict a separate US study which polled 3,500 companies and concluded that there has been a fall in cyber attacks, including a slight drop in denial of service attacks.