Malware threats have gone through many stages of evolution over the years and have increased in complexity, number, danger and ability to infect. In the first six months of 2008, the Trend Micro World Virus Tracking Center (WTC) recorded that 253.4 million systems were infected with malware. The comparable volume for 2009 is almost double at 491.2 million.

Figure 1: Total AV-Test Unique Samples

With such a high volume of threats, a new approach is needed to reduce the heavy burden computers bear to store and deliver protection information. The next-generation cloud-client content security infrastructure is designed to protect customers from Web threats including data-stealing malware. Cloud-client file reputation technology, a component of the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network, offloads the storage of traditional signatures from computers and into the Internet cloud.

Read more: http://blog.trendmicro.com/1h-2009-malware-threat-grows-ever-larger/