download issue 24 here - Help Net Security

Spam and phishing scams will follow all new
popular applications because the bigger the
target pool is, the bigger the chance of succeeding
will be. New applications will bring
more unwanted content and offer more space
for criminals to maneuver in and spread malware,
and new, improved Koobface modules
to target them.
Old applications, new threats
New features will be exploited. Koobface will
evolve - encrypted or obfuscated configura-
tion files and improved communications infrastructure
(possibly peer-to-peer architecture).
AV detection rates will start to matter because
they will start targeting more experienced users
- users who keep their software up-todate.
Because of this they will probably start
encrypting the packets to avoid detection and
to make the analysis process harder. And, finally,
technical exploits will be developed and
used in addition to social engineering.
Spam and phishing scams will follow all new popular applications because the bigger the target
pool is, the bigger the chance of succeeding will be.
New applications, new threats
It is, of course, difficult to predict which new
threats will rise from new, yet unknown applications
because we can't possibly know what
the features will be or what they will be designed
to do.
But, as more and more personal information
becomes public on social networks, it will be
used to execute targeted attacks. Advertisers
are already using this information for targeted
ads, so the potential for exploitation seems
obvious.
Another new aspect of these attacks will be
automation - with the use of geographical IP
location, automatic language translators that
are becoming better and better, and information
about personal interests and tastes that
can be found and accessed on the Web.
These attacks will be localized, contextualized
and personalized.
What can we do about it?
Zeljka Zorz is a News Editor for Help Net Security and (IN)SECURE Magazine.
We should use a fully featured Internet security
solution, an up-to-date browser, and always
the latest versions of software that has
historically proved to be very vulnerable (e.g.
Flash Player, Adobe Reader, etc.).
We should also learn not to trust every message
from contacts in the social networks we
use, and don't assume that just because a
website is high-profile and has a good reputation,
it is inherently safe.
In the end - we should learn and teach. Educate
ourselves and others about potential
threats.
www.insecuremag.com 36