Hackers have begun posing as users on sites such as MySpace as a ploy to steal private information, says a new report.

A report by internet security company Symantec concludes that social-networking sites such as MySpace are appealing to hackers because members assume fellow users are on the site to socialize and meet new people, BusinessWeek reports. As a result, there is a level of trust present, meaning users are more likely to click on links supplied by the hackers, which could redirect users to sites that collect their private information.

Browser companies are under increasing pressure to release new products and updates to existing versions that can block such security attacks. Unfortunately, the financial incentives that hackers have makes it difficult for browsers to stay ahead of the hackers.