Attackers sharpen skills, so must CISO's

Chief Information Security Officers (CISO’s) must increase their knowledge of the current vulnerability and attack landscape, such as mobile and social technologies, to more effectively combat emerging security threats.

For over 15 years, IBM X-Force has been tracking trends and emerging threats, with the tech giant releasing the 2013 mid-year trend and risk report which highlights some of the key findings in the industry.

For CISO’s, it’s no surprise that tried and true attack tactics can cause the most damage to an enterprise.

"Known vulnerabilities left unpatched in Web applications and server and endpoint software, create opportunities for attacks to occur," the report says.

"These unpatched applications and software continue to be facilitators of breaches year after year."

However, the latest X-Force report also recognises that attackers are improving their skills, which allows them to increase their return on exploitation, capitalising on users’ trust when it comes to new vectors like social media, mobile technology and waterhole attacks.

Attackers are optimising their operations around many key initiatives which include a path of least resistance to reach the largest number of potential targets for the minimal amount of exploit effort.

For example, attackers are optimising:

• The exploitation of trust via social media.

• Coordinated operations leaking user data as well as exploiting weak entry points into global brands such as foreign local language or franchise sites.

• Mobile malware with Android devices as the market expands.

• Take over of central strategic targets to access and exploit a broader base of end users.

• Diversion and distraction techniques which throw security administrators off path, while breaching targets under the cover.

To read the report in full click here