Computer virus activity across the Asia-Pacific is forecast to rise next year as old strains continue to make their way through the Internet and new, mass-mailing mutations spread infection faster, according to industry experts.
Senior officials from anti-virus software makers Sophos and Symantec projected this yesterday amid efforts within their industry to tighten co-operation against destructive computer virus attacks.
'There is the potential for increased vulnerability in this region because of the growing demand for always-on, broadband Internet connection at home, where users do not always follow even the most basic precautions,' said Sophos chief executive Jan Hruska.
He said lapses in computer security vigilance at home and in enterprises worldwide led to the continued proliferation of old virus strains.
Although this year saw a string of high-profile virus incidents, named after anything from tennis stars to soft drinks, researchers at Sophos found that Kakworm, a worm program first detected in 1999, was still the seventh most commonly encountered virus worldwide.
Kakworm made it possible for Internet users on Microsoft's Outlook or Outlook Express with Internet Explorer 5 to become infected just by viewing infected e-mail.