Global IT group IBM believes there has been "fundamental shift or evolution" in cyber-crime, from pervasive global outbreaks to smaller, stealthier attacks targeting specific organisations for extortion purposes.
This is based on the results of IBM`s 2005 Global Business Security Index Report, which provides an early look at potential security threats in 2006.
According to the report, written by IBM`s Global Security Intelligence Services team, the global IT threat landscape spent the majority of 2005 at the medium level. While the Zotob worm gained international attention, impacting well-known media organisations, malware declined overall.
However, Chris Mahlakwane, IBM South Africa`s integrated technology services executive, says that does not tell the whole story.
The criminal element motivating IT attacks, spam and malware outbreaks, he says, became abundantly clear last year. High-profile arrests of cyber-criminals in the US and around the world pointed to individuals linked to organised crime and motivated to make money.
Counter-intuitive
"The decrease in pervasive attacks in 2005 is counter-intuitive to what society at large believes is a major threat to their personal data. IBM believes the game has shifted - with increased security protection on most systems and stiffer penalties, the younger, more curious cyber attackers have been replaced with smart, organised profiteers," Mahlakwane points out.
"This means there may be fewer attacks, but they are far more targeted and damaging. Organisations around the world - from the public and private sectors - must move quickly and work together to address this growing challenge."
Dimension Data, which this week released its predictions for the top 10 global IT security issues in 2006, says it also believes that organisations can expect more damage from attacks, but fewer epidemics. The group explains that attacks, such as mass mailer worms, have become less common recently, while attacks on networking and Unix-based systems seem to have picked up.
IS Digital MD Barry Cribb comments that there are few reliable figures available on the volume of computer-related crime and estimates vary wildly.
"The number of intrusions reported, in my opinion, understates the scale of the problem as many companies prefer to keep incidents confidential, while many others are unaware they have suffered a compromise," he says.
Compliance
"The one thing that is clear, however, is that the problem is growing worldwide and while even less information is available specific to SA, it is not unreasonable to conclude that local trends will mirror international ones."
Cribb states that, while awareness and compliance issues are beginning to stimulate action by boards, stronger security measures need to be put in place sooner rather than later.
"The majority of reports produced indicating the rise in cyber-crime are seen as scare mongering or exaggeration by suppliers attempting to drum up some additional business. Yet we have discovered exploitable vulnerabilities in the systems of every company we have tested."
There is much debate regarding the accuracy of a statement issued in November by Valerie McNivan, an advisor to the US Treasury, that cyber-crime had become more profitable than the illicit drug trade, he says. However, it does demonstrate there is enormous growth in the criminal IT practice, estimated at 35%, which has been conceded to be greater than the drug trade, notes Cribb.
"What is important now is that security awareness be raised at all levels within every organisation, whether large or small, and security best practice policies and processes be put in place."
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