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Cyber Spying: A Threat to National Security|
- By CXOtoday Staff, Nov 30, 2007 1940 hrs IST
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In McAfee's annual cyber security study, experts have warned that the rise in international cyber spying will pose the single biggest security threat in 2008.
McAfee got inputs from NATO, the FBI, Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA), and experts from leading groups and universities.
The key findings of the report are:
* Cyber assaults have become more sophisticated in their nature, designed to specifically slip under the radar of government cyber defenses.
* Governments and allied groups are using the Internet for cyber spying and cyber attacks.
* The cost of renting a platform for spamming has dropped, and criminals can now buy custom-written Trojan built to steal credit card data.
* Attacks have progressed from initial curiosity probes to well-funded and well-organized operations for political, military, economic,
and technical espionage.
* Experts believe a sustained cyber attack on banks could severely damage public trust in online banking and put the brakes on e-commerce. Critics believe the efforts to address online banking security won't be effective enough or fast enough.
* There's a new level of complexity in malware not seen before. These "super-strength" threats are more resilient, are modified over and over again like recombinant DNA, and contain highly sophisticated functionality. Nuwar (Storm Worm) was the first example, and experts say there will be more examples in 2008.
* Many cyber attacks originate from China, and the Chinese government has publicly stated that it's pursuing activities in cyber espionage.
* This underground economy already includes specialized auction sites, product advertising, and even support services. But now competition is so fierce that "customer service" has become a specific selling point.
* There have been several high-profile "vishing" -- phishing via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) attacks -- and "phreaking" -- hacking into telephone networks to make long distance phone calls. In Japan, 50% of all data breaches have been via peer-to-peer software. Cybercriminals will look for ways to exploit the popularity of applications on social networking sites such as My Space and Facebook.
* The "white market" that exists to buy and sell software flaws (backdoor vulnerabilities with no available patch to fix them) is fueling a virtual arms trade in potentially significant security threats.
Other major trends include an increasing threat to online services, such as banking, and the emergence of a complex and sophisticated market for malware.
Therefore, it's essential for you to keep an eye on all the developments related to your business and to call for complete data protection solutions that are able to meet your distinctive business requirements.
Related Links:
Beware of Type-squatting: McAfee Report
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