Significant Rise in Cyber Threats are Expected in 2008

Security experts at Network Box, a network security provider, forecasted that the starting of 2007 witnessed a rapid rise in malware. The statistics and gathered information revealed over 60% increase in spam and around 70% increase in Trojan and keyloggers from beginning to end in 2007.

According to Network Box, in 2007, there was a phenomenal increase in infected websites also - more than 200% as compared to 2006. The same trend was also reported by SANS Institute that witnessed a rise of about 183% in infected website in 2007.

Simon Heron, Managing Director of Network Box, said in a statement that Spear phishers are targeting more and more social networking websites for identity fraud. These sites provide access to vital information of the target more easily than other websites. In fact, phishers are increasingly targeting those persons who are working at higher posts in big organizations, as reported by Vnunet on December 24, 2007.

Now hackers are becoming intelligent and inventing new techniques to carry out their fraudulent activities. They are implementing new methods and constantly change the codes in malware. Now they launch smaller, customized, and professionally operated attacks that go undetected by security companies.

Simon Heron also said that the hackers employed professionally managed techniques to dupe people in 2007. The rapid growth of malware attacks is a matter of serious concern, as cyber gangs of not just criminals but also state sponsored groups have also flung in it.

Senior security experts at Network Box have predicted that the sway of spear phishing would increase in 2008. The spear phising, spyware and state-sponsored cyber attacks is likely to define the security agenda in 2008. Significant rise in targeted attacks on senior level employees of globally recognized organizations and a rise in social engineering would leave personal information of employees open to attacks.

Experts also predicted that fuzzing techniques would also enhance the number of vulnerabilities that allow hackers more zero-day attacks, enabling hackers to install malware on user's computer.

There was less than expected use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as a communication tool in 2007. Experts are uncertain about the use of VoIP as an attack tool but the chances are higher.

Related article: Significant Decline in Fake AV Software: McAfee

» SPAMfighter News - 1/9/2008