Bluesmoke

I think we would all admit to a degree of naivity about the way we approach online security. Possibly we  are hoodwinked into thinking that the devices we use to browse or  socialize online already provides all the protection built in and this is all we are ever likely to need.

In any other public space we would intuitively be much more guarded about who had access to our personal and financial information.  Perhaps we get a false sense of security from the privacy we  feel in our own ‘personal browsing space’, or through simply not being  aware of the potential dangers.

Whatever the reason the volume of malicious software (Malware) circulating continues to escalate massively.  Their insidious nature and design means that most go largely unnoticed on our PCs or mobile devices collecting and reporting details about our browsing activity.

What is Malware?

Collectively known as Malware, viruses, spyware, netbots etc  are a group of malicious hidden programs designed to corrupt, collect and/or hijack data from our online devices – usually for financial gain or some other form of malicious intent-  although occasionally just for the notoriety. Viruses as the name implies are designed not only to damage and compromise our own equipment, but have an inbuilt ability to spread and then replicate on other machines via a network connection, plug-in devices, email etc etc.

Spyware in contrast  covertly gathers and reports back any browsing activity and personal info from your machine or mobile device via the web.  The functionality of both is by no means mutually exclusive, and there are countless malicious variants being created – one every second last year (Sophos 2011 Threat Report).

Infection rates have massively increased largely due to the number of mobile devices connected to the web as well as the boom in Social Networking. This has been made much easier also by our   ‘always connected’ broadband; and as speeds increase so will the proliferation of attacks – and the lesser liklihood we will notice anything is actually going on in the background.

Why Attack?

Simple answer is money. Harvesting our private data is a lucrative business, especially in large quantities- the value of which  increases exponentially where it contains account information (access to credit card details, usernames, passwords).

There has been a massive increase in the demand for politically sensitive  or classified technical data as well as a rise in hacking online advertising campaigns  and online survey revenues from sites.

The 2011 Sophos Threats Report makes for some very sobering reading and hopefully will prompt us to take our online security much more seriously.

The number of unique malware pieces(viruses,spyware and botnets) detected by Sophos doubled in 2010.

The demand for illegally ‘harvested’ data such as  email addresses has continued to rise as well as data collected via keylogging, botnets (undetected but active malware linking together individual machines via the web) etc etc.

This huge increase was largely attributed to attacks which capitalised on the huge growth of  the smart technology market (mobile devices to browse the web) along with our massively increased use of Social Media.

And these attacks are getting ever more subtle:

• Fake anti-virus alerts – a virus alert warning appears on the screen often mimicking your anti-virus software.
• Clickjacking, a pseudo link behind a normal link which triggers a malicious attack  (e.g. by clicking on the Like button in Facebook)
• Social media vulnerabilities – e.g. Facebook Applications that have gone unvetted and unchecked- the user installs a game or downloads an update that has been infected.

Businesses have also seen infection rates rise largely attributed to the increased use of Social Networks at work with many companies  banning their use entirely. As most viruses are designed to spread through networks without being detected,  it has been essential to lock down the Social Networking  security loopholes.

Transmission

If  we haven’t taken the risks of Malware infection seriously so far  then the following is perhaps a good enough reason to reflect again:

One particular virus, STUXNET is so sophisticated that it can (and has) infected Nuclear program computers (in Iran) and altered the control process. Yet this type of infection can be transmitted through something as simple as plugging in a USB pen.

Although there has been a shift in emphasis for attacks: emails are still a major source of transmission. The cute animal pictures, and now increasingly more shocking links in emails, are frequently a disguise for something more sinister.
As always extreme caution has to be exercised when clicking on attachments and links, particularly from jokes or pictures circulated between colleagues and friends.

Prevention

Having an understanding of how Malware  is transmitted is half the battle to preventing attacks and  just as importantly prevent us passing them on to others.
And if you still are not quite sure about the other half  here are a few safeguard reminders :

• Having up to date anti virus/anti-spyware software properly installed – preferably configured so that it can detect atacks from all possible sources immmediately (e.g. timed virus scans may not pick up any recent ‘keylogging’ between scans).  Remember to scan  storage/plugin devices and media also
• Activating a Firewalls – can be deployed via Hardware (router) or software(Operating System)will block attacks trying to gain access by the ‘back door’
• Adopting a much more cautious approach to Social Networking -  particularly activities on Facebook and where individual user actions might compromise others or network security
• Clearing All browsing History regularly (daily if necessary) (cookies, saved pages etc etc- and  not just the last few days)  from ALL web browsers we use.  We may lose some quick access info but well worth the extra protection
• Uninstalling not needed browser toolbars  and Add-ons (appear at the top of the browsing window).  They are most likely relaying your browsing habits to an external agency unless you have configured them otherwise
• Take the possiblility of a virus attack seriously – if you make the assumption that you have been attacked then this may force a more cautious approach to online browsing (e.g. change passwords regularly)

One final tip (if you do not already do this).  Next time you click on  a download (possibly free), make sure you do a few checks checks before installing:

• is the company name in the address bar and the download site address reputable?
• scan the software before you install it (available usually if you hover over the download and right clicking)

2011 Future Threats

Its likely that the rapid growth and use of mobile browsing technology and Social Networking will increasingly be the soft ‘underbelly’ for malicious attacks.  Smartphones are likely to continue to be high on the agenda, particulalry where software has been compromised (jailbreaking iPhones, downloading unvetted apps)

If we are to protect ourselves in the future then having an awareness of how attacks can occur in the first places should make us much more cautious and vigilent.

Adopting a regular regime of good ‘PC  Hygeine ‘  will all help us steer clear of many potential threats and be in a better position to recognize them despite their many disguises.