The New Age of Malware

As reported in CIO Security Magazine, malware forms aren't changing much, but the means of delivery, and its intent, is becoming more stealth, says Roger Thompson of ICSA Labs.

Smart devices, social media and increased online activity through app stores and other transaction-based websites are coming together in what one researcher says is a scary combination of factors that have dire implications for national security.

Roger Thompson, recently hired by ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, as the company's first chief emerging threats researcher, says it's time for traditional security measures to move forward in a new direction. Malware has exploded to levels that antivirus software can no longer keep pace with, he said. The tactics criminals use to exploit machines is becoming ever more targeted, with social networks and smartphones to aid them in their background research on victims.

How should the industry respond? Thompson spoke with CSO about thoughts for 2012 and further when it comes to malware, and what needs to change in the fight against it.

You've mentioned that think malware lives in "ages." What is the current age of malware today, as you see it?

This most recent age is the web-attack age. It started in 2005 when things started shifting over to the web-based attacks, exploits and drive-by downloads. That's still going on and we are in an age where there's a lot of money to be made and everyone understands that. Criminals are well organized and opportunistic, and they are mostly attacking us via the web. If it were a baseball game, I would say we are in about the fourth inning. This is going to continue for some time.

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