Update: Criminals increasingly using SQL code

Criminals are increasingly using structured query language (SQL) code to obtain the personal information of consumers through databases, internet monitoring vendor SecureWorks has warned.

In the first three months of this year, the firm blocked between 100 and 200 SQL injection attacks per day, according to its research. Since April, that number has shot up to 8,000 a day.

"Global IT security spending will grow significantly this year, according to a new report. The 2006 Global Information Security Survey by analyst firm Accenture found that 50 per cent of US respondents said they expect to spend more on security technology than last year, as did 57 per cent of respondents in India, 42 per cent in China and 25 per cent in Europe.

The survey of 2,000 IT security professionals in eight countries also highlighted ongoing concern about hackers, malicious coders, customer data breaches and identity theft. However, the vast majority of respondents think their companies are no more vulnerable than before or about the same, which shows a higher level of confidence than in last year's survey.