Kaspersky Lab Outlines Key Security Trends in 2012; Predicts Core Threats for 2013
Poster: SySAdmin
Posted on December 5, 2012 at 1:35:01 PM
Kaspersky Lab Outlines Key Security Trends in 2012; Predicts Core Threats for 2013
ABINGDON, England, December 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Kaspersky Lab experts have today outlined the key security trends of 2012 and
presented their views on the core threats of 2013. The most notable predictions for the
next year include the continued rise of targeted attacks, cyber-espionage and nation-state
cyber-attacks, the evolving role of hacktivism, the development of controversial 'legal'
surveillance tools and the increase in cybercriminal attacks targeting cloud-based
services.
Targeted attacks on businesses have only become a prevalent threat within the last two
years. Kaspersky Lab expects the amount of targeted attacks, with the purpose of
cyber-espionage, to continue in 2013 and beyond, becoming the most significant threat for
businesses. Another trend that will likely impact companies and governments is the
continued rise of 'hacktivism' and politically-motivated cyber-attacks.
State-sponsored cyber warfare is also expected to continue in 2013. In fact, during
2012, Kaspersky Lab discovered three new major malicious programs that were used in cyber
warfare operations: Flame
[https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193522/The_Flame_Questions_and_Answers ], Gauss
[https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193767 ] and miniFlame
[http://www.securelist.com/en/blog/763/miniFlame_aka_SPE_Elvis_and_his_friends ]. While
Flame was the largest and most sophisticated of the cyber-espionage programs, its
longevity was its most prominent characteristic. Being at least a five-year-old project,
Flame was an example of a complex malicious program that could exist undetected for an
extended amount of time while collecting massive amounts of data and sensitive information
from its victims. Experts at Kaspersky Lab expect more countries to develop their own
cyber programs for the purposes of cyber-espionage and cyber-sabotage. These attacks will
affect not only government institutions, but also businesses and critical infrastructure
facilities.
In 2012 an on-going debate also took place on whether or not governments should
develop and use specific surveillance software to monitor suspects in criminal
investigations. Kaspersky Lab predicts that 2013 will build on this issue as governments
create or purchase additional monitoring tools to enhance the surveillance of individuals,
which will extend beyond wiretapping phones to enabling secret access to targeted mobile
devices. Government-backed surveillance tools in the cyber environment will most likely
continue to evolve, as law-enforcement agencies try to stay one step ahead of
cybercriminals. At the same time, controversial issues about civil liberties and consumer
privacy associated with the tools will also continue to be raised.
Online privacy will also become more of an issue. Development of social networks, and,
unfortunately, new threats that affect both consumers and businesses have drastically
changed the perception of online privacy and trust. As consumers understand that a
significant portion of their personal data is handed over to online services, the question
is whether or not they trust them. Such confidence has already been shaken following the
wake of major password leaks from some of the most popular web services such as Dropbox
and LinkedIn. The value of personal data - for both cybercriminals and legitimate
businesses - is destined to grow significantly in the near future.
2012 has been the year of the explosive growth of mobile malware, with cybercriminals'
primary focus being the Android platform, as it was the most popular and widely used. In
2013 we are likely to see a new alarming trend - the use of vulnerabilities to extend
'drive-by download' attacks on mobile devices. This means that personal and corporate data
stored on smartphones and tablets will be targeted as frequently as it is targeted on
traditional computers. For the same reasons (rising popularity), new sophisticated attacks
will be performed against owners of Apple devices as well.
As vulnerabilities in mobile devices become an increasing threat for users, computer
application and program vulnerabilities will continue to be exploited on PCs. Kaspersky
Lab named 2012 the year of Java vulnerabilities, and in 2013 Java will continue to be
exploited by cybercriminals on a massive scale. However, although Java will continue to be
a target for exploits, the importance of Adobe Flash and Adobe Reader as malware gateways
will decrease as the latest versions include automated update systems for patching
security vulnerabilities.
Useful links
- Top Ten Security Stories that Shaped 2012 and Security Forecast for 2013
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792254/Kaspersky_Security_Bulletin_2012_Malware_Evolution ]
- Previous stories
- The Top-10 Security Stories of 2011
[http://www.kaspersky.com/images/Article_The top 10 security stories of2011_ENG-10-136658.pdf ]
- Cyberthreat Forecast for 2012 [http://www.kaspersky.com/images/Kaspersky
report-10-134377.pdf ]
- Kaspersky Security Bulletin
- IT Threat Evolution Q3 2012
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792250/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q3_2012 ]
- IT Threat Evolution Q2 2012
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792239/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q2_2012 ]
- IT Threat Evolution Q1 2012
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792231/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q1_2012 ]
- Malware Evolution 2011
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792217/Kaspersky_Security_Bulletin_Malware_Evolution_2011 ]
Kaspersky Lab Newsroom
Kaspersky Lab has launched a new online newsroom, Kaspersky Lab Newsroom Europe
(http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en), for journalists throughout Europe. The newsroom is
specifically designed to serve many of the media's most common requests, making it easier
for journalists to find product and corporate information, facts and figures, editorial
copy, images, videos and audio files, as well as details about the appropriate PR
contacts.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection
solutions. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions
for endpoint users*. Throughout its 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an
innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for consumers,
SMBs and Enterprises. The company currently operates in almost 200 countries across the
globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at
http://www.kaspersky.co.uk. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and
other IT security issues and trends, visit: http://www.securelist.com.
*The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by
Vendor, 2010. The rating was published in the IDC report Worldwide IT Security Products
2011-2015 Forecast and 2010 Vendor Shares - December 2011. The report ranked software
vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2010.
Follow us on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/kasperskyuk
Like us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/Kaspersky
(c) 2012 Kaspersky Lab. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. The only warranties for Kaspersky Lab products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should
be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Kaspersky Lab shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Editorial contact:
Berkeley PR
Carolann Grandison
kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)118-909-0909
1650 Arlington Business Park
RG7 4SA, Reading
Kaspersky Lab UK
Ruth Knowles
Ruth.Knowles@kasperskylab.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)871-789-1633
Milton Business Park
OX14 4RY, Oxford
Kaspersky Lab
ABINGDON, England, December 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Kaspersky Lab experts have today outlined the key security trends of 2012 and
presented their views on the core threats of 2013. The most notable predictions for the
next year include the continued rise of targeted attacks, cyber-espionage and nation-state
cyber-attacks, the evolving role of hacktivism, the development of controversial 'legal'
surveillance tools and the increase in cybercriminal attacks targeting cloud-based
services.
Targeted attacks on businesses have only become a prevalent threat within the last two
years. Kaspersky Lab expects the amount of targeted attacks, with the purpose of
cyber-espionage, to continue in 2013 and beyond, becoming the most significant threat for
businesses. Another trend that will likely impact companies and governments is the
continued rise of 'hacktivism' and politically-motivated cyber-attacks.
State-sponsored cyber warfare is also expected to continue in 2013. In fact, during
2012, Kaspersky Lab discovered three new major malicious programs that were used in cyber
warfare operations: Flame
[https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193522/The_Flame_Questions_and_Answers ], Gauss
[https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193767 ] and miniFlame
[http://www.securelist.com/en/blog/763/miniFlame_aka_SPE_Elvis_and_his_friends ]. While
Flame was the largest and most sophisticated of the cyber-espionage programs, its
longevity was its most prominent characteristic. Being at least a five-year-old project,
Flame was an example of a complex malicious program that could exist undetected for an
extended amount of time while collecting massive amounts of data and sensitive information
from its victims. Experts at Kaspersky Lab expect more countries to develop their own
cyber programs for the purposes of cyber-espionage and cyber-sabotage. These attacks will
affect not only government institutions, but also businesses and critical infrastructure
facilities.
In 2012 an on-going debate also took place on whether or not governments should
develop and use specific surveillance software to monitor suspects in criminal
investigations. Kaspersky Lab predicts that 2013 will build on this issue as governments
create or purchase additional monitoring tools to enhance the surveillance of individuals,
which will extend beyond wiretapping phones to enabling secret access to targeted mobile
devices. Government-backed surveillance tools in the cyber environment will most likely
continue to evolve, as law-enforcement agencies try to stay one step ahead of
cybercriminals. At the same time, controversial issues about civil liberties and consumer
privacy associated with the tools will also continue to be raised.
Online privacy will also become more of an issue. Development of social networks, and,
unfortunately, new threats that affect both consumers and businesses have drastically
changed the perception of online privacy and trust. As consumers understand that a
significant portion of their personal data is handed over to online services, the question
is whether or not they trust them. Such confidence has already been shaken following the
wake of major password leaks from some of the most popular web services such as Dropbox
and LinkedIn. The value of personal data - for both cybercriminals and legitimate
businesses - is destined to grow significantly in the near future.
2012 has been the year of the explosive growth of mobile malware, with cybercriminals'
primary focus being the Android platform, as it was the most popular and widely used. In
2013 we are likely to see a new alarming trend - the use of vulnerabilities to extend
'drive-by download' attacks on mobile devices. This means that personal and corporate data
stored on smartphones and tablets will be targeted as frequently as it is targeted on
traditional computers. For the same reasons (rising popularity), new sophisticated attacks
will be performed against owners of Apple devices as well.
As vulnerabilities in mobile devices become an increasing threat for users, computer
application and program vulnerabilities will continue to be exploited on PCs. Kaspersky
Lab named 2012 the year of Java vulnerabilities, and in 2013 Java will continue to be
exploited by cybercriminals on a massive scale. However, although Java will continue to be
a target for exploits, the importance of Adobe Flash and Adobe Reader as malware gateways
will decrease as the latest versions include automated update systems for patching
security vulnerabilities.
Useful links
- Top Ten Security Stories that Shaped 2012 and Security Forecast for 2013
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792254/Kaspersky_Security_Bulletin_2012_Malware_Evolution ]
- Previous stories
- The Top-10 Security Stories of 2011
[http://www.kaspersky.com/images/Article_The top 10 security stories of2011_ENG-10-136658.pdf ]
- Cyberthreat Forecast for 2012 [http://www.kaspersky.com/images/Kaspersky
report-10-134377.pdf ]
- Kaspersky Security Bulletin
- IT Threat Evolution Q3 2012
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792250/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q3_2012 ]
- IT Threat Evolution Q2 2012
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792239/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q2_2012 ]
- IT Threat Evolution Q1 2012
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792231/IT_Threat_Evolution_Q1_2012 ]
- Malware Evolution 2011
[http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792217/Kaspersky_Security_Bulletin_Malware_Evolution_2011 ]
Kaspersky Lab Newsroom
Kaspersky Lab has launched a new online newsroom, Kaspersky Lab Newsroom Europe
(http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en), for journalists throughout Europe. The newsroom is
specifically designed to serve many of the media's most common requests, making it easier
for journalists to find product and corporate information, facts and figures, editorial
copy, images, videos and audio files, as well as details about the appropriate PR
contacts.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection
solutions. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions
for endpoint users*. Throughout its 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an
innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for consumers,
SMBs and Enterprises. The company currently operates in almost 200 countries across the
globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at
http://www.kaspersky.co.uk. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and
other IT security issues and trends, visit: http://www.securelist.com.
*The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by
Vendor, 2010. The rating was published in the IDC report Worldwide IT Security Products
2011-2015 Forecast and 2010 Vendor Shares - December 2011. The report ranked software
vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2010.
Follow us on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/kasperskyuk
Like us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/Kaspersky
(c) 2012 Kaspersky Lab. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. The only warranties for Kaspersky Lab products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should
be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Kaspersky Lab shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Editorial contact:
Berkeley PR
Carolann Grandison
kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)118-909-0909
1650 Arlington Business Park
RG7 4SA, Reading
Kaspersky Lab UK
Ruth Knowles
Ruth.Knowles@kasperskylab.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)871-789-1633
Milton Business Park
OX14 4RY, Oxford
Kaspersky Lab