Internet attacks against home desktop computer users, using various web applications as camouflage, are on the rise and propagating at a slower rate.
'Attackers see end-users as the weakest link in the security chain and are constantly targeting them in an effort to profit,' said Arthur Wong, a senior vice-president at anti-virus software maker Symantec's security response and managed services business unit.
Home computer users, including novice broadband internet subscribers, are the most highly targeted sector, accounting for 86 per cent of all attacks in the first six months this year, he said.
They are an attractive target as they are less likely to have established security in place.
Web browsers, e-mail and desktop programs such as spreadsheet and word processing software were the prominent targets of security research and attack activities in the first half of the year, Symantec's latest Internet Security Threat Report shows.
The attacks are carried out over typically unfiltered network ports. These cannot be blocked by traditional perimeter security such as firewalls.