IBM released results from its "X-Force" 2009 Mid-Year Trend and Risk Report, which show an unprecedented state of web insecurity within an untenable risk landscape. The report calculates that there has been a 508% increase in the number of new malicious web links discovered in the first half of 2009. The X-Force report notes an increase in the presence of malicious content on trusted sites, including popular search engines, blogs, bulletin boards, personal websites, online magazines and mainstream news sites. The ability to gain access and manipulate data remains the primary consequence of vulnerability exploitations. However, nearly half (49%) of all these vulnerabilities remain unpatched with vendor-supplied remedies, the study adds.

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