Hacker offered to sell a network attack tool kit

Single viruses, even attack kits, are available for sale for about £ 500, even with 12 months of technical support.

Security experts warn dangerous hackers are creating tools that are easy to use and can automatically attack computers to make money.

Tim Eades - Sana's security expert - said: " These are the first steps before" pandemic "outbreak . This public sale shows that the possibility of users being attacked and stolen online is easy to happen.

Computer safety experts say that even single, even full-time viruses are now available for sale for about £ 500. Some of the more expensive attack tools are also sold with 12 months of technical support to ensure they are capable of performing computer attacks.

According to Mr. Eades, some groups of hackers also provide virus programming services to create fake programs that computer security software does not detect.

Continuously update the attack software

Regularly upgrading computer attack software will help hackers to access personal computers and steal through fake websites. The software also includes a set of statistics whereby hackers can know the success of the attack they have just made and where their victims are located.

At the end of June 2007, hackers used software that attacked more than 10,000 websites in one go. Hackers also operate a multi-price mechanism and have discounts for their regular, loyal customers.

" This is almost a form of software business in the market between hackers ," he said. " In the field of computer attacks and especially in the software business for hackers, there is no limit to what you can buy with money ."

Paul Henry, vice president of technology at Secure Computing, said the number of downloadable attack tools has increased rapidly. Specifically, more than 68,000 tools for hackers can be downloaded. Most are free and some need new skills to work. But more and more tools are being sold to people who don't know about attacking computers.

In addition to selling offensive software, hackers also sell information about errors that have not been patched or have been discovered by anyone in the software for thousands of pounds per error.

" The tool sellers claim that this is a product for educational purposes and that the user is solely responsible for any misuse by them ," Henry said.

Tam Ha