Blue Coat rolls out 2011 Mid-Year Web Security Report

Blue Coat Systems has released its 2011 Mid-Year Web Security Report, which examines Web-based malware ecosystems, including the 10 largest malware delivery networks. These malware delivery networks are typically hosted across multiple sites and are responsible for launching dynamic attacks on unsuspecting users. The report examines the interactions of Web-based malware ecosystems, including user behaviour, hosting sites and delivery networks.

"Web-based malware has become so dynamic that it is nearly impossible to protect every user from every new attack with traditional defenses. With a unique comprehensive view of the Web ecosystem, Blue Coat Web security solutions can identify and track malware networks to proactively protect customers from new attacks that these networks attempt to launch," said Steve Daheb, Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice-President, Blue Coat Systems.

The 2011 Mid-Year Web Security Report also analyzes how and where on the Internet users are brought into malware delivery networks. It also blocks Pornography, Placeholders, Phishing, Hacking, Online Games and Illegal/Questionable categories. For the first half of 2011, Shnakule was the leading malware delivery network. During that period, this network had 2,000 unique host names per day with a peak of more than 4,300 per day with an average of more than 21,000 requests and as many as 51,000 requests in a single day.