Latest Trend for Spyware Writers

[dalek]

Looks like the writers of Spyware are ramping it up against the AV and Antispyware programs....

Stealthy software

Not all malicious hackers make money by stealing it. 2005 saw large numbers of tech savvy criminals generating significant incomes by compromising computers so people are bombarded with pop-up ads or have their web browser hijacked so it takes them to sites they would not otherwise visit.

Behind these pop-up bombardments and browser hijackings are so-called adware and spyware programs. These can be contracted by visiting the wrong website which forces the installation of adware; by downloading applications such as file-sharing programs in which the adware lurks or by following a link in an e-mail.

Virus writers are starting to target online game players
Online security firm ScanSafe, which cleans up web traffic for customers, said the amount of spyware it had blocked was doubling every month since it started its monitoring program earlier in 2005.

It also said that the number of web-based attacks that try to install spyware and adware had grown by 165% in the last 12 months.

Spyware makers were working hard to stop their creations being found said Eldar Turvey, chief executive of ScanSafe.

"Spyware is becoming more stealthy," said Mr Turvey. Many viruses are designed to be disposable but spyware makers want their creations to persist.

Many spyware makers were disguising the data their programs send back by making it look like ordinary web browser traffic that easily slips through firewalls.

One final worrying trend seen in 2005 was the emergence of attacks aimed at security software.

Many makes of anti-virus, firewall and PC protection programs are seen as a weak link by hacker groups.

Many are trying to subvert the programs that are supposed to protect users and exploit weaknesses to give them access to users' machines.

BBC Technology

It's almost as if each is feeding off of the other???

[Tiger Shark]

Which is why I have always recommended a remote hardware device for a firewall. Many of them today implement egress filtering if you bother to look for those that do and it's a lot harder for a piece of software to disable or open ports for ingress on a remote device.

Software firewalls, like any other software, have their uses and, by their nature, their limitations.

[thehorse13]

This article is basically saying what myself and other peers have been preeching for a year now. As soon as the scumbags design code that travels over normal channels (HTTP, HTTPS, etc.) your ability and effectiveness to stop and spot the activity will be drastically reduced.

I've already seen malcode with throttling capabilities over HTTP. Other than netflow analysis (which isn't perfect for many reasons) and pure luck, (because many hueristic engines are infintile presently) you are in a world of $hit.

Happy New Year.

--TH13