IBM X-Force Threat Insight Quarterly Report
The IBM X-Force® Threat Insight Quarterly is designed to highlight some of the most significant threats and challenges facing security professionals today. This report is a product of IBM Managed Security Services (MSS) and is compiled by the IBM X-Force (X-Force) security intelligence team. Each issue focuses on a specific challenge and provides a recap of the most significant recent online threats.
About IBM X-Force
IBM X-Force is a primary security research organization that discovers vulnerabilities and security flaws in computer networks and tracks emerging Internet threats. The X-Force serves as trusted security advisor to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as well as many other federal, state and local government organizations, helping create governmental security standards and initiatives.
X-Force research helps form the basis for the IBM security solutions. By researching vulnerabilities, IBM is able to update its products and services to prevent attacks before they negatively impact an organization. IBM products and services rely on X-Force research to preempt threats. Questions or comments regarding the content of this report should be addressed to xftas@us.ibm.com.
Latest Threat Insight Quarterly Report
This edition of the X-Force Threat Insight Report provides an exhaustive list of security alerts, breaches and the most commonly seen threats in Q1 2011. It also delivers a new insightful article by an IBM MSS researcher. Malware has become a staple in today's cybercrime landscape. Primarily, it is the medium used to steal information and build botnets. Malware delivered in one way or another infects a PC and turns it into a botnet client or zombie. From the Creeper virus (1971) to the Stuxnet malware (2009), this article shows how malware has evolved from somewhat humble beginnings to become a principal weapon in cyber crime, espionage and warfare. Malware is no longer the preserve of the lone virus writer but rather can be developed by professionals with specific goals in mind.
Latest Threat Insight podcast
This edition of the IBM X-Force Threat Insight Quarterly podcast contains two discussions with the authors of the articles featured in our 2010 Q4 publication. The first interview is with John Kuhn, who highlights one of the big cross platform malware players today - Koobface. This computer worm targets users of social networking websites such as Facebook (its name is an anagram of ""Facebook""), MySpace, hi5, Bebo, Friendster and Twitter. Koobface was originally designed to infect Microsoft Windows, however newer variants now work on Mac OS X and Linux. In the second interview, Bryan Ivey discusses mobile attacks. There is little debate that portable communications devices have become a regular part of daily life in most regions of the world. This growth, coupled with potentially novice owners, provides an excellent avenue for monetary gain by attackers moving into this market and a danger to smart phone owners' and their companies' data.