Eugene Kaspersky outlined various types of threats in a "What's next in cyber-security?" presentation just before describing a new security suite for businesses.
Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of
Kaspersky Lab, discussed the latest threat landscape at its Cyber-Security
Symposium in New York City Oct. 6. At the symposium, Kaspersky Lab also
launched the Windows version of the company's Endpoint Security 8 software
suite.
Speaking on upcoming trends
in cyber-security, Kaspersky warned that the future is looking very grim. He
cited three types of attackers: hacktivists for cyber-protests, cyber-criminals
motivated by financial gain and cyber-combatants focused on cyber-warfare,
Kaspersky said. Every business and user is under attack and the global economy
and every country is at risk, he said.
"I don't see clear blue
skies ahead," Kaspersky said, adding that he expects to see even more
sophisticated types of attacks.
Cyber-criminals are highly
organized, effective and globally distributed. Their tools of the trade, such
as botnets, are readily available for rent, with actual terms of service and conditions
to follow, just like any legitimate business. There is a lot of profit and low
risk in cyber-crime. As more people around the world go online for the first
time, the pool of potential victims also grows, Kaspersky noted.
Computers are everywhere and
control so many aspects of people's lives that a focused cyber-attack can
impact more than just the system itself. Kaspersky mentioned recent tragedies,
such as the Spanair flight 5022 crash in 2008, in which malware played a role.
He noted how the Blaster worm infected several computers in key data centers used
by utility companies and may have had some impact on the severity of the
blackout that blanketed the East Coast in 2003.
In all of these incidents,
malware was "not the reason it happened, but it could not have happened
without malware," Kaspersky said.
Kaspersky discussed the
prospect of cyber-warfare, noting that governments are all investing in
cyber-weapons and creating elite cyber-divisions. He said China, South and
North Korea, and the United States have some kind of a military role in cyber-space,
and emphasized this is not a complete list.
"There must be new
designs, new innovations in IT and OS development. Systems that are more secure
must be used in critical infrastructure," Kaspersky said.
The IT industry needs to
work together to improve cyber-defenses, such as securing the critical
infrastructure, international cooperation, and increased regulation and
standards to raise the security posture. Kaspersky called the new breed of
security products advanced protection technologies.
Kaspersky Lab introduced
Endpoint Security 8, which targets firms that need to secure their cloud
computing, virtualization and mobile infrastructures. For the first time,
Kaspersky Lab has integrated its enterprise version with the Kaspersky Security
Network, the cloud-based reputation database with information on the latest
malware threats. The consumer versions are already using the cloud service.
The new product protects
networks with deep anti-malware protection and comprehensive management and
control systems. Administrators can also take advantage of white-listing
capabilities to set policies for specific applications or categories of
applications. The "System Watcher" feature tracks the computer's
behavior for anomalies and resets the system back to the point just before the
anomalies occurred.
Endpoint 8 also runs the
improved signature and pattern-based antivirus engine to detect malware even if
the code has changed slightly. It offers Web filtering, device control,
intelligent personal firewall and intrusion detection.
Endpoint 8 also offers
management options to protect virtual machines, with support for VMware-based
systems. Administrators can remotely monitor and manage the network via a Web
console and generate detailed reports.
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