The World Wide Web started as a network information project at CERN in 1989. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world’s largest and most respected centers for scientific research.

In 1993, Mosaic developed a graphical web browser. This was the turning point for the information super highway.

“The trends highlighted by the report seem to indicate that the Internet has finally taken on the characteristics of the Wild West where no one is to be trusted,” said X-Force Director Kris Lamb. “There is no such thing as safe browsing today and it is no longer the case that only the red light district sites are responsible for malware. We’ve reached a tipping point where every Web site should be viewed as suspicious and every user is at risk. The threat convergence of the Web ecosystem is creating a perfect storm of criminal activity.”

“Two of the major themes for the first half of 2009 are the increase in sites hosting malware and the doubling of obfuscated Web attacks,” Lamb said. “The trends seem to reveal a fundamental security weakness in the Web ecosystem where interoperability between browsers, plugins, content and server applications dramatically increase the complexity and risk. Criminals are taking advantage of the fact that there is no such thing as a safe browsing environment and are leveraging insecure Web applications to target legitimate Web site users.”

The Internet is connecting advertisers and marketers to customers from Boston to Bali with text, interactive graphics, video, and audio. If you’re thinking about advertising on the Internet, remember that many of the same rules that apply to other forms of advertising apply to electronic marketing. These rules and guidelines protect businesses and consumers and help maintain the credibility of the Internet as an advertising medium. As with other outlets, Internet advertising must tell the truth and claims must be substantiated. For more information contact the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov), the federal government agency responsible for enforcing advertising laws.

Throughout the U.S., SBA and its resource partners are ready to support you in business by providing free, expert advice, business training and counseling, management assistance, and mentoring. Whether you are starting or growing a business, assistance is available in-person, online, or by telephone. Click on www.sba.gov to locate an SBA office or resource partner near you or to view online training options.

A good place to start learning about advertising on the Internet is the article “Advertising and Marketing on the Internet: Rules of the Road”

US-CERT encourages users and administrators to take the following preventative measures to help mitigate the security risks:

* Install antivirus software, and keep virus signatures up to date.
* Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open unsolicited email messages.
* Use caution when visiting untrusted websites.
* Use caution when downloading and installing applications.
* Refer to the Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams (pdf) document for more information on avoiding email scams.
* Refer to the Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks document for more information on social engineering attacks.

US-CERT encourages users and administrators to take the following preventative measures to help mitigate the security risks:

* Install antivirus software, and keep virus signatures up to date.
* Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open unsolicited email messages.
* Use caution when visiting untrusted websites.
* Use caution when downloading and installing applications.
* Refer to the Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams (pdf) document for more information on avoiding email scams.
* Refer to the Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks document for more information on social engineering attacks.