"For the first time, [Australian Internet Security Initiative (AISI)] now provides internet service providers with detailed information about an infection that can determine the problem device within a home or business network," Australia's Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Chairman Chris Chapman, was quoted as saying in the report published on the organization's website.
According to research conducted by ACMA, about half of all Australian households have networks connecting more than five devices to the internet. The report added that 56 percent of small businesses and 74 percent of medium-sized businesses have their own private network connected to the internet.
"Growth in home networks and business networks in Australia— and in the number of devices attached to a network, such as smartphones, tablets, game consoles— make identifying an infected device much more difficult," Chapman was quoted as saying in the report.
Using AISI, which recognizes multiple devices connected to a network, cyber threats will be better identified and reported as soon as they arise.
ACMA has been collecting and comparing information on malware activity since 2005. ACMA's other malware programs include the Phishing Alert Service and the Spam Intelligence Database (SID).