Computer security is not only still necessary but the importance of data protection is even more essential today than it was even five years ago. Back then the main form of computer crime were things such as email worms, denial of service (dos) attacks, and the occasional destructive virus. These forms of viruses have reshaped internet security. Today, with the help of new, more secure operating systems and virus protection programs, worms and viruses are not nearly as troublesome.

Online criminals have watched and learned and are now using their knowledge in specifically skilled smaller attacks in stealing personal financial information for identity theft or even extortion. A report by "Computer Economics" discovered that unauthorized access by people within the network ranks as the highest security concern among IT professionals.

A large majority of e-mail traffic is Spam. Although laws in multiple countries are catching up with the fight against Spam, it’s still only a small step up a large mountain. Three years ago malware was designed simply to maliciously cause stress and frustration. Today’s malware have two purposes; to steal data and to connect an infected computer to a botnet, which sends out Spam in large quantities.

Another new development in online scams is Phishing. Phishing is a form of Internet fraud that aims to steal valuable information such as credit cards, social security numbers, user IDs and passwords. A study said that mimicking a websites e-mail or log in page is the most successful type of phishing attack.

As technology grants employees more powerful and flexible methods to access company data, the more criminally tempted employees are willing to take advantage of that data for their own gain. In many cases, employees are not necessarily acting with malicious intent, but their sloppy actions invite questionable behavior. This may consist of deliberate misuse of resources or accidental misuse. Poorly protected computers and at risk behavior by users, such as responding to spam expose those computers to the risk of infection which allows the computer to be utilized by criminals.

Viruses, worms, and Trojans have evolved over the years to avoid detection. As corporations deploy more security tools such as firewalls and authentication, the threats decrease. Although we now rarely see widespread worm attacks similar to those that regularly seized headlines years ago, the need to constantly develop new and more secure protection will always be present because online criminals and their skills will also continue to evolve.