Cyber crime soaring in bad economy.

• Position: CYBER SECURITY - Brief article

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The use of malware on websites to steal passwords and other sensitive information is skyrocketing, according to a new report from the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG).

The number of URLs with hidden code for stealing passwords nearly tripled between July 2007 and July 2008 to a record high of 9,529, while the number of malicious-application variants hit 442 in May 2008, the APWG reported.

The increase is primarily due to malicious code being used in SQL injection attacks, in which a small malicious script is inserted into a database that feeds information to a website. Typically, the host site is legitimate, not a phishing site created for the sole purpose of stealing consumer data.

The financial services industry is the most targeted sector for phishing attacks, followed by those focusing on auctions and payment services, the report found.

"Cybercriminals continue to increase...