$55 billion loss in 2003 due to viruses

[Julio Franco]

Trend Micro, the world's third-largest antivirus software maker, said Friday that computer virus attacks cost global businesses an estimated $55 billion in damages in 2003, a sum that is expected to increase this year.

Companies lost roughly $20 billion to $30 billion in 2002 from the virus attacks, up from about $13 billion in 2001, according to various industry estimates.

Read more: CNet News.

 

[ak_in_charge]

Just goes to show ya, you have to be more committed to security now more than ever.

55 billion is a lot of money to lose over viruses.

 

[Federelli]

Exactly, i mean 55 BILLION...
OMG...
The only reason i can think of is that either AV companies are not working as they should, or other companies are not using AV software....

 

[agissi]

Have virus's ever been this big of a problem/issue? Thats a lot of money to lose

 

[tkteo]

Sure seems like a good reason to fine spammers heavily for each and every address they send each spam to.

 

[Federelli]

And apply the required punishments

 

[Vehementi]

I think this should be justification for more government involvement, if businesses are losing this much money. Perhaps a new branch of the FBI or Homeland Security is in order - we need more white hats working against these malicious virus writers.
And we need a zero-tolerance policy for rampant malicious code - first time you do it and get caught, you're in jail for 40 years.

And why do people write this malicious code? All they're doing is pissing people off, costing money, and sending themselves to jail. What is the point? I mean, this $55 billion is coming out of the American peoples' pockets, it's coming out of the honest workers' paychecks.

 

[Rick]

I trust these thrown-up figures as much as if I were to guess a number.

There's no real way to accurately add up losses due to viruses and they know that. But the figure sure makes me want to buy Trend Micro's product now..... ahem....