Wireless News
02-18-2011
New M86 Security Labs: Spam Volume Drops and 3rd-Party Phishing Increases
Type: News
Frustrated email users may have noticed a significant drop in spam in recent months, but cybercriminals are gaining ground with creative new phishing methods, according to the latest Security Labs Report from M86 Security.
Investigating the cyber threat trends in the second half of 2010 for its bi-annual report, M86 Security Labs analyzed spam, phishing, and malware activity, and tracked global Internet security trends. Millions of email messages, infected Web pages and malware samples were reviewed and then correlated with their own Web exploit and vulnerability research, providing M86 with a vantage point to report on these trends.
"What is especially noteworthy is that our findings demonstrate that vulnerabilities already patched are continuing to be successfully used for malicious gain.Organizations and individuals must get better at updating their applications and staying ahead of attacks on their devices and their networks," said Bradley Anstis, vice president of technical strategy, M86 Security. "While the M86 Security Labs report notes that great strides are being made in thwarting cyber-criminal attempts, there is always something else coming through the back door."
Key findings by the M86 Security Labs for the second half of 2010:
-Email Spam is Declining, though Far from Dead: According to the M86 SecurityLabs research, spam volume has slowed considerably, down to one-third thelevel at year end when compared to June 2010. Using the M86 SecurityLabs Spam Volume Index, which tracks changes in the volume of spamreceived by representative domains, the research shows that spam reductionwas affected by botnet disruptions and the closure of a popular affiliate program. This is the lowest sinceNovember 2008, when the rogue hostingprovider McColo was taken offline.
-Botnet Take-downs andSpamit.com Closure: Notably, Spamit.com, an underground affiliate programused by several spamming botnets, was shut down in late September 2010.Spamit.com was linked to Glavmed and the "Canadian Pharmacy" brand ofbogus online pharmacies. The Rustock botnet was most affected, with itsspam output drastically reduced. However, plenty of other botnets moved upto take its place, and trends in this threat category will continue to bemonitored for changes and increases. Other spamming categories in the topfour include those for replica watches, fake diplomas and cheap watches.
In August, notorious spammer/botnet, Pushdo/Cutwail, was taken down, resulting in a significant spam volume decrease due to a coordinated takedown attempt by security researchers.According to Anstis, such efforts are typically short lived, with the botnets returning to their normal activities.
Another botnet, Mega-D, has been taken down multiple times since 2008, only to return. In November 2010, the FBI identified and apprehended Oleg Nikolaenko, a Russian behind the botnet. The botnet since has generated less than 5 percent spam by volume.M86 Labs analysts point to the continuing need to go after and prosecute botnet operators for more long-term impact on spam operations and volumes.
-Third-Party Phishing on the Rise: The good news about phishing isthat such practices delivered via email are declining dramatically asusers are becoming more aware of fake e-mails claiming to be from bankinginstitutions. The bad news: cyber-thieves have found more effective meansof stealing bank information from users visiting legitimate bankingwebsites. Malware, including Trojans like SpyEye and ZeuS, areincreasingly popular methods for criminals to make off with personal andfinancial information.
Additionally, attacks posing as third-party agencies such as the IRS and the New Zealand Department of Inland Revenue are being used to phish for a user's bank account information under the guise of receiving bogus tax refunds. This makes it easier for thieves to obtain information from unsuspecting users by providing multiple options to the user to select the bank of their choice, thus eliminating the guessing game typically played to determine where a user conducts their banking. UK banking customers have been similarly affected, receiving a falsified email purporting to be from HM Revenue and Customs with the same legitimate looking page with options for all banks in that specific region.
-Exploit Kits with Virus Scanners, Social NetworkAttacks Increase: Aspreviously reported by M86 Security, the popularity of exploit kits is onthe rise. The newest trend is that more kits are offering services to theircustomers thus becoming more of a "one- stop shop." The scanning module inthe Siberia Exploit kit and Neosploit's new Malware-as-a-Service offeringare just a couple of significant examples signaling a shift in exploit kitcapabilities.
While traditional forms of spamming via email are down, spam techniques using such social networking sites as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, continue to expand. The LinkedIn scam has a legitimate look and feel, inviting users to connect with others in their "network," only to be connected with the Phoenix exploit kit infection page, which tries to exploit the victims' computer through various vulnerabilities.
M86 Security Labs is a group of security analysts specializing in Email and Web threats, from spam to malware.
More Information:
www.m86security.com
http://m86.it/2h2010
((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))
Copyright 2011 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
n/a
No comments:
Post a Comment