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The latest Internet Security Threat Report (ISTR) released by Symantec Corp. reveals that Manila is the city in the Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region with the sixth highest number of bot-infected computers.

Bots are programs that perform repetitive functions such as posting a message to multiple newsgroups or searching for information.

The ISTR Volume XIII covers findings in the six-month period from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2007. Manila’s ranking is a giant leap from the 83rd ranking in the previous reporting period from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2007.

Richard Velasco, Symantec’s senior technical consultant for the Philippines, said, “Bot-infected computers are a real concern for online users because their personal information can be easily leaked out, and compromised computers can be used as a launch base for other attacks.�

Symantec’s ISTR is one of the most reputed and referenced sources of Internet security threat data for governments, the industry and organizations from around the world.

The ISTR leverages data collected from Symantec’s Global Intelligence Network, which tracks attack activity across the entire Internet with 40,000 sensors monitoring network activity in more than 180 countries.

In the Philippines, Symantec has shared the ISTR XIII with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Commenting on the report, Superintendent Gilbert Sosa, chief of the anti-transnational crime division of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said, “Today’s consumers and businesses should be more vigilant and informed on trends and threats on the Internet to keep safe online and secure their data. Information that private sector companies like Symantec provide is crucial in fighting nefarious activities of cyber criminals.�

For his part, Vicente de Guzman III, chief of the NBI’s anti-fraud and computer crime division, said, “Symantec’s ISTR XIII is a useful resource for the NBI in its fight against cyber crimes. Through the in-depth analysis of Internet security trends and data for the Philippines and APJ, the NBI can galvanize the public, lawmakers and private sector on the urgency of fighting cyber crimes such as identify theft and information hijacking.�

De Guzman added: “Through the release of the ISTR, Symantec becomes an able partner of the government in fighting cyber crimes without us straining precious resources to monitor and identify the Internet security threat trends.�