The McAfee 2009 Threat Predictions

Today, we at McAfee Avert Labs released our 2009 Threat Predictions. Amongst the findings are:
Threats Hide in the Cloud
Miscreants have also transitioned to the Internet “cloud” as their main delivery vehicle and take advantage of the attractions of Web 2.0. McAfee expects this trend to continue throughout 2009, eventually displacing more traditional vectors of malware distribution.
Personalized Threats Speak Your Language
Threats will continue to take evasive action against security measures. One example is the existence of single-use binary files, which are an attacker’s equivalent of a single-use credit card number used by consumers when shopping online. These binaries help to create a vast sea of threats, which will make it harder for victims to describe their assailants, and make it harder for defenders to catch them. Additionally, McAfee expects to see the continued expansion of malware in languages other than English. Cybercriminals have come to realize that by diversifying into a global market they can access even larger pools of valuable identity and confidential information.
Malware Targets Consumer Devices
McAfee expects increased attacks involving USB sticks and flash-memory devices used in cameras, picture frames, and other consumer electronics. This trend will continue due to the almost unregulated use of flash storage across enterprise environments as well as their popularity among consumers.
The Rogue Web and Malvertising
Last year McAfee also saw the malware underground (continue reading...)