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Which US Cities Have The Worst Malware Infection Rates? (techrepublic.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the spreading-like-a-virus dept.

A new report from Enigma Software Group identifies the American cities with abnormally high infection rates for malware. An anonymous reader quotes TechRepublic: In 2016, Tampa, Orlando, and St. Louis each had malware infection rates per capita more than five times the national average -- the highest in the U.S., the report found. Those same three cities were also at the top of the list of highest infection rates in 2015... ESG compiled malware detection data from its SpyHunter anti-spyware software in the 100 largest cities in the US in all of 2016.
Two Ohio cities also made it into the top ten for malware infection rates -- Cleveland and Cincinnati -- as well as Washington D.C. (with an infection rate 242% higher than the national average). But the infection rates drop noticeably after the top 10, with Miami (at #14) the last city with an infection rate more than double the national average. Interestingly, the top 35 cities include major high-tech centers like Seattle, Austin, Boston, and San Jose.

7 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. That's easy by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 5, Funny

    I head Redmond, Oregon is almost completely infested with Windows 10.

  2. Older people less astute with technology? by schwit1 · · Score: 2

    Grandma is less likely to update programs and is easier to trick into clicking on malware links.

    1. Re:Older people less astute with technology? by sumdumass · · Score: 4, Interesting

      This is somewhat insanely true.

      I was just given an old computer to "remove anything that needs removed to make it safe to throw away". It was about 3 years old and had so many pop ups that they just purchased a new computer. I told them I could probably fix the pop ups if everything else worked ok. She said whatever, I can have it if I could fix it.

      I started diving into this system thinking it would be infested with a bunch of malware, viruses and whatnot. Outside of tracking cookies, I couldn't find anything. The pop ups were to update java, their HP software for the printer they threw away when it stopped printing after 6 months of no use, some brother software saying there was updates and a bunch of notifications from games and other software saying there was updates available. She was using an older version of internet explorer which likely allowed a lot of pop ups when surfing the web. She essentially purchased another computer because she didn't understand crap needed updated from time to time or how to update it or that other web browsers exist without all the issues some have.

      It isn't a high end computer but it isn't a bottom of the barrel system either. Its free outside of updating all the software and removing the preinstalled advertising crap that originally came with it so I have nothing to complain about. Just makes you wonder about what people are thinking.

    2. Re:Older people less astute with technology? by Solandri · · Score: 2

      Grandma is also less likely to own a computer.

      Really, they should've compared the ratio of per capita malware infection rate, to per capita computer ownership rate. That'll give you malware infection rate per computer, which is the stat you really want.

  3. Re:apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I want access to the raw data before I accept the claims of a cybersecurity form touting its products in the article. Open data science or shut-up.

  4. Re:Florida by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 2

    Actually, it's "Floridiots".

  5. Well of course St Louis has issues by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    It has to drag down the people of St Louis having a giant arch named after a failed computer manufacturer.

    As for the other two - Florida. 'nuff said.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley