Kaspersky - Malware Attacks Increasing at Blistering Pace

According to Kaspersky Labs' 2008 annual report on security threats, a steep rise was observed in the total number of malicious attacks during 2008. The company identified over 23 Million attacks by malware worldwide. Also, the volume of total spam dispatched in 2008 rose 2.1% over 2007.

Kaspersky also discloses that there are huge differences in the distribution of malware by different countries. For instance, China has emerged as the biggest creator of malicious programs, while Russia produces the most refined and sophisticated malware and computer hackers. Russia was also observed as the major generator of spam when it dispatched 22% of all unsolicited e-mail from the former Soviet Republic.

Kaspersky further said that 2008 also saw increased attacks against websites, particularly social-networking websites.

Kaspersky's security researchers also observe that there is a continuous evolution in the malware distribution system, with work being distributed between the criminals who give order for distribution and the criminals who carry out the demands. The virus authors who create malicious programs write them mostly not to use them for their own purposes but to sell them off for others to use, said security researchers.

Furthermore, the dissemination of rootkits had been an increasingly severe problem in 2008. New ways to carry out attacks were detected, including the technique of using botnets.

Conversely, Internet providers, the governments and the security industry worldwide clamped down on cyber criminals and their crimes with a succession of strikes. This led to the shutdown of numerous companies that allowed cyber criminals to utilize their sources, including the Russian Business Network.

Moreover, Kaspersky's experts forecast a continuous evolution of the malware environment. According to them, malware technologies are likely to become more advanced along with a rise in threats like botnets that have flexible administration. The current global economic condition together with the advances in the cyber crime market may result in the return of worldwide malware epidemics, predict the experts.

In related news, Anti-Phishing Working Group recently reported that phishing URLs rose a dramatic 47% in Q2 2008 over Q1 2008.

Related article: Kaspersky Released Malware Statistics for September 2008

» SPAMfighter News - 3/18/2009