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SophosLabs says it finds a newly-infected webpage roughly every three-and-a-half seconds, which is five times the rate at which new web pages appeared in mid-2007. 

SophosLabs also reports that nearly 90 per cent of newly infected web pages are found on otherwise-legitimate sites, which have been silently and illegally compromised by cybercriminals.

Exacerbating the situation for IT administrators says the company, are tools such as anonymising proxies that allow users to circumvent URL filtering controls.  This is particularly prevalent and problematic in the educational sector, where students often resist controls, aren't easily deterred, and have advanced knowledge of Web technologies.

"Web threat authors are one step ahead of traditional filtering solutions leaving most businesses unprotected today," said Chris Kraft, vice president of product management, Web Security and Control at Sophos.  "With the Sophos web appliance, and in particular this latest release, organisations can reclaim time and control over web usage and be assured they are protected against the latest threat trends and productivity drains."