Stuxnet not to be the Last of its Kind; Warns Symantec CEO

President and CEO Enrique Salem of Symantec, while assessing threats like the Stuxnet worm, warned at the San Francisco held RSA Conference that Stuxnet along with all the subsequent threats were floating in the wild as they looked for opportunities to pounce. According to him, threats would get increasingly personalized, while the severest of all were aiming at crucial security infrastructures. SCMagazine published this in news on February 15, 2011.

Salem argued that Stuxnet represented an attack, which shifted from carrying out cyber spying to intentional damage. Made to cause physical destruction, the worm was elaborate and refined, while the security community had long been anticipating its arrival. Now that all could witness it, the malware's profound implications were evident, Salem stated. Infosecurity.com published this on February 15, 2011.

Salem further stated that whatever was observed of Stuxnet was more perilous compared to anything observed earlier as also its assaults would be personalized. He added that the majority of attackers were currently aiming for sensitive information, while the onus of providing the security was on the security agencies. SCMagazine published this on February 15, 2011.

Astonishingly, the Stuxnet abused many security flaws in Windows that weren't known earlier. Researchers said that its sophistication unprecedented that of any other malware. Said Salem, although Stuxnet didn't have a precedent it wouldn't be the final one. According to him, other malicious programs would follow, while security professionals would have to tackle the trend of personalized attacks each day. Infosecurity.com published this.

Salem further said that Stuxnet was an indication of the coming days when the malicious program for industrial spying might suggest a changeover within the way any malware would be developed. He added that the sophisticated and elaborate Stuxnet designed to destroy would remain on everyone's mind as the malicious software, which altered the attack objective from spying to sabotage. V3.co.uk published this on February 16, 2011.

Besides, Salem said that cloud computing, virtualization and consumerization would be the other trends that would make security professionals intensely worried, insisting that with consumerization it would simply be a tsunami crest, which would descend on everyone.

Related article: Stuxnet malware Signed With JMicron Certificate

» SPAMfighter News - 2/25/2011