iTechNote

Sophos, a security vendor has released a 18-page report on potential security threat coming this year. Last year was a year of rapid changing nature of threat. Sophos summarizes the trends as follow:

• Malware authors are continuing to turn their backs on large-scale attacks.
• Explosive growth of web-based downloaders to spy on users.
• Trojans outnumbering Windows viruses and worms 4:1.
• New mass-mailing worm, Stratio had over 1000 unique variants in November.
• Email containing infected attachments down to 1 in 337.
• Most spams are continuing to be relayed by poorly protected US computers.

The outlook of security threat in 2007 is largely dim with 66% of businesses thinking of a worse year. Even with the launch of Windows Vista end of the month, users are advised not to rely solely on Vista’s security improvements. Why? Windows is the targeted platform for attack and will continue to be the case in the near future.

China and the United States are the largest countries hosting web-based malware. You are infected by simply visiting these malicious websites. Most administrators simply do not have enough skills to detect the threat that is lurking on their site, ready to infect their visitors’ computers.

They are also the largest spam relaying countries. Up to 90% of all spam is now relayed from zombie computers, known as botnet computers, hijacked by Trojan horses, worms, viruses under the control of hackers. A network of zombie computers is capable of sending hundreds of millions of spam messages in just a couple of hours.

Due to the increasing threat, the IT departments of most businesses are inclining (more than 85%) to restrict further the use of unwanted or unauthorized applications in office. Over 79% of the IT departments mark it essential to block P2P traffic. About two third believes blocking instant messaging, VoIP and games are necessary.

The full report can be downloaded in PDF upon registration. You may also be interested to read another white paper by Sophos - Windows Vista: Is it secure enough for business?