Religious Sites Carry More Malware Than Porn Sites, Security Firm Reports

[Ichingcarpenter]

Religious and ideological websites can carry three times more malware threats than pornography sites, according to research from security firm Symantec. The firm’s annual Internet Security Threat Report also found that threats to mobile devices continue to grow, almost exclusively for Google’s Android mobile OS.

Internet security reports from companies that also sell anti-virus solutions should be taken with a pinch of salt, given the potential of conflict of interest, but Symantec’s authoritative findings are nevertheless interesting.

Symantec found that the average number of security threats on religious sites was around 115, while adult sites only carried around 25 threats per site--a particularly notable discrepancy considering that there are vastly more pornographic sites than religious ones. Also, only 2.4 percent of adult sites were found to be infected with malware, compared to 20 percent of blogs.

Symantec's 2011 List of Most Dangerous Web Sites
Why religious sites you might ask? “We hypothesize that this is because pornographic website owners already make money from the Internet and, as a result, have a vested interest in keeping their sites malware-free--it’s not good for repeat business,” said the report.



Android smartphone users should also be weary of malware, as Symantec says mobile vulnerabilities, almost exclusive to Google’s open mobile OS, increased by more than 93 percent. The report found more than half of all Android threats collect device data or track users’ activities.

http://www.techhive.com/article/254694/religious_sites_carry_more_malware_than_porn_sites_security_firm_reports.html

[Egnever]

1. In my opinion Symantec is horrible at detecting viruses.

I dont doubt that religious sites are more likely to have malware on them as they are often done by armatures where a porn site usually is done by a professional.

[merrily]

2. Ideological sites. Hmmmm.

[Ken Burch]

3. This also raises questions as to which other websites the owners of religious websites

were looking at, on the same computers they used to manage said religious websites.

[Buns_of_Fire]

4. That's what they get for praying with one hand. nt

[hobbit709]

5. some people are dumb enough to click on anything.

And when it comes to god, they have trusting, unsuspicious minds.