Internet security experts are divided on the source and purpose of computer viruses and worms like Blaster and SoBig. But some government agencies are investigating a possible connection between the increasing spread of infected computers and organized crime. Recent trends are leading many experts to worry that malicious code buried in infected computers or released in new generations of worms will spawn targeted criminal attacks against business and industry.
An excellent article that highlights one of the major trends in IT Security, namely the move from hobby-hacking to profit-driven criminal activity. As the recent virus storm clearly demonstrates, the old re-active "update-and-patch" IT Security approach has come to its end as the sole security paradigm. Today, it's necessary to move ahead by physically isolating confidential data and business critical applications from external networks, be it the Internet or just the company's own Intranet (lion's share of IT intrusions are internal). Luckily enough, new kind of secure and easy to use security appliances such as the Giwano (see www.giwano.com) are already hitting the market. They do not make the traditional security products obsolete, but take it one step further, just like we have added car anti-theft devices to the traditional steering wheel and ignition locks.
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Computer Viruses and Organized Crime: The Inside Story
Posted by: Jack M. Germain September 27, 2003 02:13 AMInternet security experts are divided on the source and purpose of computer viruses and worms like Blaster and SoBig. But some government agencies are investigating a possible connection between the increasing spread of infected computers and organized crime. Recent trends are leading many experts to worry that malicious code buried in infected computers or released in new generations of worms will spawn targeted criminal attacks against business and industry.
As the recent virus storm clearly demonstrates, the old re-active "update-and-patch" IT Security approach has come to its end as the sole security paradigm.
Today, it's necessary to move ahead by physically isolating confidential data and business critical applications from external networks, be it the Internet or just the company's own Intranet (lion's share of IT intrusions are internal).
Luckily enough, new kind of secure and easy to use security appliances such as the Giwano (see www.giwano.com) are already hitting the market. They do not make the traditional security products obsolete, but take it one step further, just like we have added car anti-theft devices to the traditional steering wheel and ignition locks.