As dynamic rich media and user-generated content enhance the user experience on the Internet, the dangerous threats facing the enterprise network are becoming equally robust. The Web is the new threat vector of choice for hackers and cybercriminals to distribute malware and perpetrate identity theft, financial fraud and corporate espionage. This problem can be organized into three categories: Malicious People, Places and Things on the Web™. Dangerous people running scams and stealing identities; dangerous places appearing at the rate of one new domain each second; and dangerous things like malicious links embedded in otherwise safe, well-known Web sites. Ultimately, the gaps in today's enterprise security leave organizations vulnerable to compromise, which can be costly to fix. The constantly evolving threats demand a new approach to security, including comprehensive protection for every Web connection into or out of the enterprise.

The first signs of widespread malicious intent on the Internet arrived in the form of virus-infected files attached to email messages. Several years of advances in email security products and user education have generally closed this distribution channel for malware distributors, but predictably, they have moved on to new techniques. Now, malware distributors have set their sights on exploiting vulnerabilities in software found on virtually every Internet-connected PC in the world: the Web browser.