Malware falls as ‘Christians give up porn for Lent’

Security experts in the US have suggested that Christians giving up porn websites for Lent has led to a sharp fall in malware.

The number of malware infections dropped by 17 per cent in the US between 14 February (beginning of Lent) and late March. US cybersecurity firm Enigma Software Group said this could be because fewer people were visiting porn sites, which are believed to be the most common source of malware.

Enigma spokesman Ryan Gerding added that many people also give up socialmedia sites during this period. Malware also dropped during Lent last year (by 14 per cent), lending weight to the theory. “As soon as Easter is over, it goes right back up again,” said Gerding.

Enigma also looked at malware trends during Lent for several US cities with high Catholic populations. Malware infections in Boston, New York and Pittsburgh fell by around a third.

The research highlights the threat posed by porn sites. In February, Kaspersky published a study claiming that a third of UK adults have contracted a virus after visiting a porn site.

Kaspersky’s David Jacoby said: “In 2017 we identified at least 27 variations of PC malware which specifically hunt for credentials to paid adult content websites”.

He added that one reason hackers target adult sites is because victims “are less likely to report the infection due to the embarrassing nature of how they got it”.