Virus writers are getting smarter. It’s official. The latest bi-annual Internet Security Threat Report from Symantec found that 64 per cent of all new attacks targeted vulnerabilities less than one year old. The Blaster worm, for example, appeared only 26 days after the vulnerability it exploited was announced, according to The Register.Symantec’s study paints a picture of a rise in more sophisticated and faster spreading worms, and the increased use by virus writers of new vectors for infection (such as P2P networks and IM applications), The Register says. Symantec reports that the increasing prevalence of blended threats, which use a combination of malicious code and vulnerabilities to launch a cyber attack, remains one of the most significant security issues companies face this year.
The future? Symantec expects to see greater worm propagation resulting in overloads to network hardware, crippling network traffic, and seriously preventing both individuals and businesses from using the Internet. Told ya.