As 2007 comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the current threat landscape. The past 12 months comprised a record-breaking year. McAfee® recorded well over 100,000 new viruses and Trojans, a 50 percent jump in the total number of threats ever cataloged.
The Nuwar virus (a.k.a. Storm Worm) grew into the largest peer-to-peer (P2P) botnet to date, while TJ Max revealed the largest data breach in history. Other areas saw significant growth as well, from phishing attacks to crimeware, from vulnerabilities disclosed to zero-day exploits; 2007 was a big year for threats.
At the same time, there was an explosion in the adoption and usage of new technologies such as voice over IP (VoIP), virtualization, and, of course, Web 2.0. As we look ahead to 2008, we expect the threat landscape to continue to expand. Attackers will exploit the new technologies while revisiting tactics that were successful in the past. McAfee Avert® Labs has identified the following ten noteworthy trends expected to unfold in 2008:
1. Adware on the Decline
Adware will diminish in 2008. The combination of lawsuits, better defenses, and the negative connotation associated with advertising through adware helped start the decline of adware in 2006.
2. Botnets Piggyback on Storm’s Success
Without a doubt, Nuwar (a.k.a. the Storm Worm) is the most versatile virus on record. With legal officials having prosecuted four high-profile bot masters in 2007, criminals will be seeking better ways to cover their tracks. McAfee Avert Labs expects other authors to take note and ride the coattails of Nuwar’s success.
3. Crimeware and Phishing Move on to Secondary Targets
Criminals can then gain access to primary targets using information gained from secondary-target victims.
4. Instant Malware: A Different Kind of IM
For several years, researchers have warned of the risk of a self-executing instant-messaging (IM) worm. This threat could spawn millions of users and circle the globe in a matter of seconds.
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