Check out the dirtiest web sites of summer 2009

Security vendor, Symantec has identified the "Dirtiest Web Sites of summer 2009", the 100 sites with the most threats detected by site ratings service Norton Safe Web as of August 2009. These sites represent the "worst of the worst" based on the number of threats.

While nearly 48 percent of the sites feature adult content, the remainder of the sites is dedicated to varying subject matters, like deer hunting, catering, legal services and buying electronics. Malware is the most common threat, followed by security risks and browser exploits. Even a simple visit to these sites without downloading or clicking on anything in particular can be risky. Some of the sites listed include, 17ebook.com, divineenterprises.net, magic4you.nu gardensrestaurantandcatering.com and fantasticfilms.ru.

The report states that there has been an increase in the number of online threats that are constantly evolving, as cybercriminals look for new ways to target money, identity and assets. Rowan Trollope, Senior Vice President, Consumer Business Unit, Symantec says, "Norton Safe Web provides visual ratings that let consumers know about potential risks before visiting a site. Armed with this information, consumers are empowered to make informed decisions about which sites to visit."

The average number of threats per malicious site rated by Norton Safe Web is 23. The average number of threats on the Dirtiest Web Sites list is a staggering 18,000 per site. In fact, 40 of the 100 dirtiest Web Sites have more than 20,000 threats per site. Nearly 75 percent of sites on the list have distributed malware for more than six months. Norton Safe Web crawls the Web and performs analysis of millions of sites, and benefits from a network of more than 20 million Norton Community Watch members that automatically submit suspicious URLs for analysis in real-time.

Agencies

India remains the kings of outsourcing business

Though the world is witnessing a severe meltdown, IT firms in India found it an opportunity to step up their outsourcing activities as global companies are resorting to several cost cutting initiatives. It is despite the fact that the country is facing serious threats to its outsourcing leadership from a few internal elements like vulnerabilities to terror attacks and erosion of the confidence in corporate governance.

However India will remain a major outsourcing destination. "Even though other markets will be redoubling efforts to seize opportunities from India, no other country yet presents a serious threat as a key outsourcing destination", said Arno Franz, Partner and Asia-Pacific President at TPI, while speaking to BusinessWeek. "China is still very much an emerging destination, while it is debatable whether any other single country has the breadth and depth of skills, experience and infrastructure to seriously challenge India's position," he added.

Franz pointed out that India-based providers made significant market share increases last year. In terms of total contract value (TCV), Indian outsourcers contributed 16 percent of the global market, up from 11 percent in 2007. They also accounted for over half of the Asia-Pacific outsourcing TCV. Moreover, two out of the three mega-deals in the second half of 2008 went to India-based providers. Mega deals, defined by TPI as contracts worth over $1 billion, numbered 12 between January and June last year.

Over the year, there was a record of 88 contracts in the region with a total contract value of over US$25 million, 50 of which were awarded in the second half. Despite the high number, the 2008 TCV of Asia-Pacific outsourcing deals was $12.3 billion, lower than 2007's $12.7 billion. Annualized contract value (ACV), which is the contract value divided by its duration, also fell from $2.7 billion in 2007, to $2.4 billion last year.

Agencies

Infosys, Wipro get terror e-mails

Six prominent IT companies in the city, including Infosys and Wipro, have received e-mails threatening to blow up their buildings, said a top police officer.

Joint commissioner of police B. Gopal Hosur said here that the companies received e-mails threatening to blow up their establishments two days ago and immediately informed the police.
The police have already begun investigations, he said, but did not divulge further details.
Security had been tightened at all the Information Technology companies which received the threats.

City police commissioner Sankar Bidri said police viewed the e-mail threats seriously and that all precautionary measures were being taken.