Most predictions look to history as an indicator of what might come in the future.
McAfee Labs
™ is a team of security professionals that spends their waking hours observing and combating threats to our digital identities. They are constantly looking for what may be become a possible threat and how these can be avoided.
Here’s what they say we should be watching out for in 2012:
Attacks on critical infrastructure and utilities: Terrorists and criminals from around the world have set their sights on critical, life-supporting utilities, such as water and power. These utilities are at risk of being disabled, either to be held hostage in hopes of negotiating a payoff or simply to wreak havoc.
As a citizen and a consumer, you can help protect our critical infrastructure by protecting your own PC. Preventing the computer that sits in your home office from being turned into a zombie prevents it from being used as part of a botnet—a robot network of computers—and used as a base of attack.
Political hacktivism: “Hactivists” are loosely organized hackers who work together using computers or computer networks to protest or promote political change. Many feel that the 1% is manipulating the 99%, and will stop at nothing to get their message heard. Others hack under the umbrella of hacktivism in order to obscure their more nefarious intentions.
Spam, spam, and more spam: Spam has become cheaper and easier to distribute. Shady, for-profit advertisers are making a mint selling lists of names and email addresses to spammers. (Advertisers are not legally required to receive consent before sending advertising.)
Never click on links within spam messages. Don’t bother trying to unsubscribe, and don’t waste your time reporting it as spam. Make sure your ISP’s spam filters are turned on and that your email provider has you protected. And do not to dig around in your spam folder, rooting out ruses meant to trap you. Just hit delete.
Mobile malware: PCs are still the low hanging fruit. But as more mobiles are used for mobile commerce, virus creators are working on malware designed either to take over your smartphone, to deliver ads, or even to run up your bill by sending expensive text messages.
Keep your smartphone and tablet protected by installing comprehensive mobile security, that includes anti-theft, antivirus and web and app protection.
Hacked cars, GPS, and wireless equipment: Cybercriminals have begun targeting embedded operating systems or even hardware in order to gain control of everything from cars to global positioning system trackers and medical equipment.
This opens up some scary possibilities, so if you buy a car with these features, ask your dealer how you can go about updating your new vehicle’s computer chip. Over time, your car will probably need updates, just like a PC. Meanwhile, be sure to have proper insurance and an auto theft prevention system.
Cyber war: McAfee Labs has observed an increase in high-tech spying and other “cyber” techniques used to gain intelligence. This should not incite panic, but it is something you ought to be aware of.
It really is up to each of us as individuals to protect what is within our scope, including our families, homes, and digital devices. Although some of the threats may seem scary, the reality is that many are simply new takes on old attacks, and with a little bit of foresight and preparedness, we can guard against them.
Robert Siciliano is an
Online Security Evangelist to
McAfee. See him discussing
identity theft on YouTube.
(Disclosures)
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