resource center
  See your link here
|
Subscribe to Computerworld Computerworld -
An ongoing series of e-mail attacks against computer systems in the U.K. highlights a trend in which cybercriminals are shifting away from mass-mailing worms and viruses and focusing on more targeted sets of victims.
The U.K.'s National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre last week published a report saying that more than 300 government departments and businesses are being buffeted by attacks designed to covertly gather data.
Unlike tactics used in phishing attacks and the wide-scale mailing of e-mail worms, the attackers appear to be targeting individuals who they believe have access to privileged information, the report said. It added that the IP addresses and e-mail header information used in the messages suggest that the attacks are originating in the Far East.
The attacks involve the use of e-mails that contain Trojan horse programs or links to Web sites with Trojan horse files installed on them. Once the Trojan horses are installed on systems, they collect usernames, passwords and system information; scan disk drives; and upload documents and data to remote computers, the report said.
Many malicious hackers are starting to tailor their attacks to go after high-value targets, said Mark Sunner, chief technology officer at MessageLabs Ltd., a U.K.-based provider of e-mail security services.
"Certainly for the last few years, what everyone perceived to be the main issue was the mass-mailing worm," Sunner said. "But there does seem to be a new trend where e-mail viruses are being created with the express intention of getting into specific organizations."
The disclosure in the U.K. came just two weeks after police in Israel said they had uncovered a spy ring that allegedly used Trojan software to snoop into companies there .
"It doesn't surprise me at all that these sorts of attacks are possible," said Pete Lindstrom, an analyst at Spire Security LLC in Malvern, Pa. But the new threat shouldn't "bother any security professional worth his salt," Lindstrom added. Standard precautions such as updated antivirus signatures, attachment filtering and antispam measures should be enough to identify malicious messages and mitigate the risks, he said.
Centralized Data Backup and Your WAN
Is your organization prepared to tackle the massive challenge of protecting your data in a cost effective and timely manner? With a growing...
Why Compliance Pays
This OnDemand webcast explores the relationship that firms with best compliance records have higher revenue, greater customer retention, lower financial losses from data...
An All-in-One Approach to Web Security
Granting web access to employees poses challenges to IT administrators and introduces unique security risks. Even as companies have perfected their security techniques...
Best Practices for Managing Business Risks from the Use of IT
(Source: Symantec) Based on exhaustive benchmarks conducted by the IT Policy Compliance, this session highlights the relationship between business risks and use of...
The Hidden Dangers of Spam
Beyond the well-understood productivity drain that spam inflicts on businesses, threats posed by illicit email circulating through a network are causing many security...
Managing And Protecting Your Ever Increasing Mobile Assets
(Source: Absolute Software) Your users are becoming more mobile each day. This is great for productivity - yet challenging for IT control. Natalie...
Open Source Security Myths Dispelled
(Source: Astaro) Open Source Software is computer software whose source code is available to the general public. This openly viewable nature...
Sun OpenSSO Enterprise Webinar
(Source: Sun) This webinar replay discusses Sun OpenSSO Enterprise innovation--the single, open-source solution that helps your business solve the challenges around internal access...
Best Practices for Backing Up VMware® with Veritas NetBackup™
VMware® is used by enterprises large and small to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their IT operations. With this in mind, Symantec...
Agile Enterprise Content Management (ECM) for Rapid ROI
(Source: IBM) Content rich business processes are a core feature of daily operations at just about any organization today. Very often these essential...
Sign up to receive updates on the latest Security resources
CIO
Computerworld
CSO
DEMO
GamePro
Games.net
IDC
IDG
IDG Connect
IDG Knowledge Hub
IDG TechNetwork
IDG Ventures
IDG.net
InfoWorld
ITwhitepapers
ITworld
JavaWorld
LinuxWorld
Macworld
Network World
PC World
The Industry Standard
Copyright © 1994 - 2009 Computerworld Inc. All
rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium
without express written permission ofComputerworld Inc. is prohibited. Computerworld and Computerworld.com and the respective logos are trademarks of International Data Group Inc. |
