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Mobile malware, ransomware on the rise in 2014
Within the new year, enterprise IT end-users will have to be on the lookout for continuing security threats that are poised to be a growing concern. Among them is a significant uptick in mobile malware.
According to WebProNews contributor Sean Patterson, mobile malware will be a leading computer security concern in the next 12 months as cybercriminals increasingly target devices like smartphones and tablets for data leakage. These mobile malware samples will have the ability to steal data from legitimate applications, including authentication credentials. Overall, experts saw a 33 percent rise in malware affecting the Android operating system in 2013, and are predicting that this platform in particular will continue to be a target for cyberattackers.
TechNewsWorld contributor John Mello Jr. also noted that while malware as a whole will potentially decline in 2014, instances of attack by ransomware will likely considerably increase. In 2013, several ransomware samples received media attention as a new threat, and one of the most notable was CryptoLocker. These type of attacks lock users out of their system by encrypting files and demanding a ransom for the encryption key. Some users who paid the fee reported both receiving the key and being able to regain access to their content, while others sent the amount and did not receive the key.
Security analyst Fred Touchette told TechNewsWorld that due to the previous success of this kind of malware, more attacks of this kind are sure to be reported in the upcoming months. Furthermore, if no malware author is arrested for CryptoLocker, cybercriminals will increasingly leverage this style of attack.
"The spread, the effectiveness of the encryption, and the fact it even looks for mapped drvies to encrypt are all indicators that some criminal gangs are substantially investing in this area," said security research expert Rik Ferguson.
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