The last several years, have seen an exponential increase in the number of new viruses, worms, spyware and adware. Currently, 300 to 600 new viruses appear each month, which corresponds to 10 or 20 new viruses per day. These new viruses, worms and spyware are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they spread and infect machines.

According to Trend Micro, in 2001 viruses, worm and spyware cost businesses $13 billion, in 2002 the cost rose to $20 - $30 billion and in 2003 viruses, worm and spyware cost a record $55 billion in damages. The Internet’s ever-growing popularity and the steady adoption of ”always on“ broadband technologies have allowed viruses, worms,  spyware and adware to spread quickly.

Now more than ever, it is important to defend every computer in an organization against viruses, worms and spyware in the most effective manner possible as a part of an overall network security strategy. The world wide web, e-mail capability, and other Internet tools have provided new avenues for communication and the exchange of information, but have brought along hordes of new virus, worm and spyware problems.