Security Stats Show Mobile Malware, XSS as Top Concerns

Security Stats Show Mobile Malware, XSS as Top Concerns

by Sean Michael Kerner

Android Malware Is Rising

Data from F-Secure shows strong growth for malware, spyware and adware on Android.

Mac Malware Is Growing—Slowly

F-Secure also found that malware targeting Apple’s Mac OS is growing, though the total number remains small.

Blackhole is the Top Exploit Kit

According to F-Secure’s data, 71 percent of all exploit-kit detections came from only five exploit kits: Blackhole, SweetOrange, Crimeboss, Styx and Cool.

Exploit Kits: A Global Problem

SilverSky found that malicious IP addresses in the U.S. and Germany were hosting exploit kits as well as launching remote scans against targets.

Top 10 Threats for Financial Institutions

SilverSky found the Blackhole Exploit kit to be the top threat for financial institutions, followed closely by the Darkleech exploit kit.

Security Incidents for Financial Institutions Are Declining

There is a silver lining in the SilverSky data: So far in 2013, security incidents are fewer than they were at the same point last year.

Security Disclosures Are Flat

IBM’s also has good news on the security front. According to IBM, the current forecast for 2013 is for almost the same number of vulnerability disclosures as were reported in 2012.

Top Web Application Vulnerability: Cross-Site Scripting

According to IBM, cross-site scripting (XSS) accounts for more than half of all Web application vulnerabilities.

The Consequences of Exploitation

According to the IBM, the top consequence of an organization being exploited is that an attacker gains access.