Hacking not so bad

Hacking activities are on the rise, but severe attacks are falling, according to a new study by managed security services provider Riptech Inc. of Alexandria, Va.

Hacking rose by 28 percent during the first six months of this year, but targets appear to be better equipped to detect and fend off serious attacks, according to the second volume of the company's "Internet Security Threat Report," released July 8.

Despite the increase in overall activity, the number of companies experiencing a severe attack from January through June this year declined by half, compared to the previous six months. Government organizations monitored did not suffer any highly aggressive attacks in the past six months.

Although hacking remains a real threat, cyberterrorism has not emerged as a serious problem, said Riptech Chief Technology Officer Tim Belcher.

The report is available at www.riptech.com.