The one thing I’ve learned in my years in IT security is that change is the only constant. The cat-and-mouse game between cyber criminals and security professionals, unfortunately, is part of the evolutionary process of malware and security development. Combine that with the fact that enterprise networks are expanding beyond Windows to include platforms like Mac and Linux, it’s clear that controlling and securing endpoints that have traditionally been considered safe from more widespread attacks, is more important than ever.
Moving forward, I firmly believe that we will no longer be operating in a “Windows-only” world. Enterprises once believed to run under the radar of cyber attacks are no longer immune to malware that now targets specific information and the different systems users work on. Knowing this, enterprises can no longer afford to think they are impervious to such attacks.
This is why CoreTrace’s Bouncer 6 is the first enterprise-ready application whitelisting solution to protect endpoints for all major versions of Windows, Macs and Linux, with continued support for Solaris implementations. Continue reading this post…
While it is well-known that malware toolkits have become the preferred method for launching Internet attacks, a recent Symantec report has found out just how much the exploit toolkits have lowered the barrier for cybercriminals to launch campaigns.
In the article, “How Attack Toolkits Impact the Cyber-Underground,” Marc Fossi, manager of research and development for Symantec Security Response, said the ease of usability is one of the reasons why toolkits are now used in the majority of Web attacks. Continue reading this post…
As cloud-based computing takes off in 2011, it’s becoming increasingly important for security software makers to develop solutions that can handle the growing number of new threats and malware variants in the cloud.
According to the article, “Cloud-based Computing Security Requires Adapting,” as traditional antivirus becomes ineffective against malware attacks that exploit weaknesses in signatures, signature-based technologies alone can no longer adequately protect endpoints. Continue reading this post…
Record-breaking years can sometimes be a good thing, but not when it comes to malware.
According to PandaLabs, 2010 set a record for new online threats, with cybercriminals creating one-third of all malware in existence last year alone. The report found that throughout 2010 the average number of new threats created every day rose from 55,000 to 63,000.
With financial gain being the prime motivator behind the creation of new malware, the study also found that banking Trojans were the most prevalent type of attacks in 2010 at 56%, along with viruses (22%) and worms (10%). Despite all these findings, the one that struck me the most was that 52% of new malware created last year exists for only 24 hours. Then it’s gone. Continue reading this post…
Looking back, 2010 was a breakout year for application whitelisting. Once considered an alternative anti-malware solution, a shift has occurred towards a modern, antivirus approach that has application whitelisting as the primary mechanism for preventing the execution of malicious applications, with traditional antivirus solutions playing a more reactive, cleanup role.
Unfortunately, the year also brought a number of security challenges that have permanently changed the threat landscape. The year was highlighted by several new, high-profiled targeted attacks that included the game-changing Stuxnet worm. But through it all was the fact that application whitelisting stopped portions of all these targeted attacks, no matter how new or sophisticated they were. Below, I’ve compiled a list of CoreTrace’s Top 5 blogs for 2010: Continue reading this post…