Threats from malware specifically targeting social media and the number of spam emails have both risen significantly in the first quarter of this year.
That's according to the McAfee Threats Report: First Quarter 2013, which reveals that discoveries of "Koobface" Trojan software have tripled since the previous quarter.
First discovered in 2008, Koobface targets Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, encouraging users to click on bogus links to online videos. After the user clicks on the link, they're encouraged to install what they're told is an update for Flash, but is in fact malware.
The report suggests the increase in Koobface malware shows how cyber criminals are increasingly realising social media is a good way to find victims.
"Cyber criminals have come to appreciate that sensitive personal and organisational information are the currency of their ‘hacker economy,'" said Vincent Weafer, senior vice president of McAfee Labs.
"The resurrection of Koobface reminds us that social networks continue to present a substantial opportunity for intercepting personal information," he continued, adding cyber criminals are becoming ever more sophisticated.
"Within the enterprise, we see password-stealing Trojans evolving to become information-gathering tools for cyber espionage attacks. Whether they target login credentials or intellectual property and trade secrets, highly targeted attacks are achieving new levels of sophistication."
McAfee's latest report also finds that email spam has risen for the first time in three years, with an increase in the number of spam links being sent to users in emerging markets one of the main reasons for growth. Meanwhile, PC malware samples increased by 28 per cent, adding 14 million new threats to the more than 120 million previously discovered by McAfee.
The security solutions provider also warned of the increasing threat of cyber espionage, urging government and industry to do more to protect bank details and personal information.
