AN INTERNET security company is signalling users about a potential phishing threat hidden behind shortened web addresses.

Web services like TinyURL, Bit.ly, or is.gd, shorten long, unwieldy web addresses or URLs into bite-sized ones that are easily copied into e-mail messages, instant messages or posted on blogs, for instance.

However, phisher criminals have turned this to their use, cloaking their malicious sites with these shortened addresses.

The shortened addresses do not show the original site's domain name, which would usually set off red flags to users.

Internet security firm Symantec on Thursday also pointed out that spammers were using the shortened addresses in e-mail addresses, thus 'confusing' and slipping past spam filters.

These shortened URLS work for any language, not just English too, a spokesman said.

When clicked on, these websites will likely download viruses, worms or other malicious software onto the computer.

It is yet another new way malicious activity on the Net is taking place.

In its latest Internet Security Threat Report, released on Wednesday, Symantec said Singapore had moved up two places from 11th to 9th place, for the country where most malicious activity takes place or originates from in the Asia-Pacific.

Singapore also went up two spots, from 8th to 6th place, for most number of bot-infected computers in the region.