Symantec’s bi-annual Internet Security Threat Report has been revealed in which they said that a large number of malicious programs has passed the 1 million mark for the first time, although nearly half of these programs were actually developed and unleashed during the year 2007.The report shows that in the second half of 2007, security firm detected 499,811 new malicious code threats.

Throughout 2007 Symantec detected more than 711,912 novel threats which brings the total number of malicious programs that the security firm’s anti-virus programs detect to 1,122,311.Most of the viruses aimed at Microsoft Windows running on PCs. The malicious installations encompass with key loggers, they became alive if any particular website is visited or online games are started up.

Normally, there are groups involved in hi-tech crime, and these groups of programmers generate the novel variants.These programmers expect to be paid drives the criminals to make as much money as possible out of the information they steal and to be constantly on the look out for new victims.

The internet security firm Symantec also claimed that year 2007 was a record-breaking year for the development of malicious software, viruses and Trojan horses.