More press releases cite the 'new math'

Rob Rosenberger, Vmyths co-founder
Friday, 14 April 2000 SOPHOS AND INDEFENSE press releases now cite Computer Economics' $12.1 billion estimate for virus attacks in 1999. They join the ranks of Network Associates, who started hyping the figure less than a week after its debut. Empirical data doesn't exist, yet we can somehow estimate worldwide losses with an accuracy of plus-or-minus $100 million. "New math," I suppose. What can I say? I knew the antivirus industry would latch onto this figure despite my gripes about its pedigree.