• by Masha Geller , August 3, 2001

Once again, I'm here to present proof of the notion that whatever interests people offline, drives them online.

According to the latest report from Nielsen//NetRatings, traffic to computer security sites are soaring as recent viruses have proliferated the Web and have hit corporate systems. Traffic to Symantec.com and McAfee.com have spiked in the past four weeks as office workers try to learn more about virus protection from "Code Red" and "Sircam" worms.

More than 1.2 million unique visitors at-work logged onto Symantec.com during the week ending July 29, skyrocketing more than 56% from 808,000 visitors the previous week. NetRatings says 30% of the site's audience accessed the page featuring security updates about the Sircam worm virus. Traffic to the site has surged 122% during the past four weeks.

Traffic to McAfee.com jumped 37%, with 1.1 million visitors accessing the site, compared to 839,000 visitors the previous week. Nearly 17% of McAfee's audience visited the Sircam worm virus help center. McAfee.com's visitors have increased 125% during the past four weeks.

This week's traffic to Microsoft.com is expected to rise significantly as the Code Red worm hit again on July 31. The site supplies a virus patch for Windows NT and 2000 users.

"With the outbreak the Sircam worm virus several weeks ago and the re-emergence of the Code Red worm this week, traffic to sites offering anti-virus protection like Symantec.com and McAfee.com has been rising steadily," said Betty Cho, Internet analyst, NetRatings. "These sites offer security updates and software that are easy to download and assure surfers that they can combat against the latest attacks proliferating the Internet."