 |
 |
|
Popular technologies like virtualization, databases and mobility could be as risky as they are useful to enterprise users in 2009.
|
|
- We started hearing rumblings about virtualization’s security risks as far back as 2007. As companies continue to implement virtualization to save in 2009, securing virtualized systems will grow in importance.
- A publicized outbreak of the SillyFDC USB worm at the US Army and the Army’s subsequent banning of USB devices in November called attention to the ever-growing risk posed by unmanaged USB devices.
- Even organizations with perfect security can suffer an exposure through a sloppy business partner. A recent study by the Ponemon Institute found that 50 percent of IT pros are fearful of the "imminent and critical risk" posed by outsourcing.
- Attackers view insecure legacy databases as open treasure chests full of salable information. The economy isn’t helping either – a recent analyst report noted budgetary concerns the biggest roadblock to DB security.
- As banking and retail applications proliferate the mobile world the crooks will look to profit. Researchers with the Georgia Tech Information Security Center predict that mobile threats will peak in 2009.
- Researchers Jeramiah Grossman and Rober Hansen made waves last year with their demonstration of ‘clickjacking’ through Adobe Flash. Expect to see similar vulnerabilities exposed in web-enabled rich media applications in 2009 as well.
- Hackers will continue to go to town on insecurely built websites and applications in 2009 much as they have in past years. They’ll lean on botnet resources and other automated tools to carry out mass SQL attacks like Asprox in ‘08.
- Malcontents are using those SQL injection attacks and other methods to prey on the good name of upstanding organizations. According to researchers at Cisco, the number of threats originating from legitimate websites increased by 90 percent last year.
- A recent survey conducted among Wall Street employees found that 58 percent would abscond with company data if they were fired. In today’s layoff climate, such risks must be addressed
- Even as the FTC starts to really crack down on companies that use sham security alert ads to sell phoney security software, this scareware problem will likely get worse before it gets better.
|
