Key points:

Domain name servers are wrongly configured and so vulnerable to attack

If DNS systems fail, all Internet functions become unavailable

Many networks are vulnerable to pharming attacks

Speaking at the Virus Bulletin 2005 conference in Dublin, Eric Chien, senior antivirus researcher at Symantec, outlines the common ways users are picking up spyware. Pop-up windows which suggest security updates and clock settings are available, or new messages are unread, often tempt less security-minded users to click.

"We've actually seen people create a full screen pop-up of a fake 'blue screen'," said Chien. Users are forced to act out of the belief their machine has crashed.

Most small and medium-sized businesses have no contingency plans for staff who might be unable to get to company offices in the aftermath of an emergency, research by Cable and Wireless reveals.

Over 65% of SMEs admit their businesses would be materially affected if staff were unable to come into the office for a day or less...

...yet a third of SMEs outside London and two-thirds in London have no business continuity plans in place.