AhnLab, a security software company, said Monday that a study of ten security threats in 2007 revealed a growing number of hacking incidents affecting Internet game sites. The hackers pilfer users' personal information to steal virtual goods to trade for money.

"There is a 'cyber black market' where virtual valuables like game items are exchanged for cash," a company staffer said. "Because game users' IDs, credit card numbers and other personal information are frequently traded in this cyber black market, the problem is getting bigger."

Symantec, a international computer security firm, also warned of increasing attacks by hackers against online game sites and portals in Korea, Japan and China. Meanwhile, AhnLab said that the number of malicious Internet viruses rose 39.1 percent from last year to 5,599.

(englishnews@chosun.com )