Why hackers are also using SEO

While many businesses may have embarked on a search engine optimisation (SEO) or social media marketing campaign in order to attract custom, one sector commentator has warned hackers are using similar measures.

According to Panda Security, cyber-criminals are exploiting search engines and user-generated content in order to get to as many web users as possible.

The warning comes after Websense revealed in the second half of 2009, 13.7 per cent of searches for trending news or buzzwords led to malware.

The group's Security Labs State of Internet Security Q3-Q4 2009 report also revealed SEO poisoning attacks target the top searches, enabling hackers to drive traffic to their own sites.

Javier Merchan, of Panda Security, said: "Social networks and SEO attacks are just new platforms for cyber-criminals. They are using old and new techniques to infect as many people as possible."

He added people need to be educated to improve their security.

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