Digital attacks, including worms and viruses, hit a record level this January, numbering close to 20,000 and causing more than $US8 billion in damages worldwide. If the current rate of attack continues, it’s estimated there will be more than 180,000 digital attacks for the year, costing between $US80 billion and $US100 billion in damages. There were less than half that many attacks (87,525) in 2002. In January, the Slammer virus alone caused between $US945 million and $US1.15 billion in damages, making it the ninth most destructive virus of all time. SOURCE: mi2g Ltd.