E-mail security firm MessageLabs has compiled a list of
security trends it expects to see emerging in 2007.
These will include Instant Messaging (IM) spam, voice over IP
(VoIP) phishing attacks, and viruses spreading over consumer
peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.
"IM will continue to be a target through spam over IM (SPIM) and
the spoofing of IM identities to lure users into disclosing data or
poisoned URLs," said a statement from MessageLabs.
It added that 2007 will see VoIP become a prime target for
phishing attacks whereby spoof phone calls are made to victims to
extract their credit card details or steal their identity using
third party software.
Thirdly, consumers will share content as well as viruses via P2P
network in 2007, said MessageLabs.
Next year will also see the rise of "disaster squatting", where
criminals and opportunists will register domain names linked to an
event, (for example, hurricane Katrina/Red Cross sites) to lure
victims into donating money which will be channelled to
criminals.
"Randsomware" will be a security issue in 2007, with an increase
in the sophistication of the key/password coding, which could
render traditional IT security useless and force users to either
relent and pay a ransom or have computer data wiped, said
MessageLabs
Finally, image spam will increase in volume through 2007, due to
the inability of traditional spam filter software to detect minute
changes in the image e-mail; and MessageLabs said it expects to see
Trojan supermarket websites become better known.
"Primarily based in Russia, criminals can order a customised
Trojan for as little as $250 (£125) which will be altered to their
needs. Price deflation and increased automation on this market is
expected," said MessageLabs.
Comment on this article:
computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk