Recently, the McAfee Corporation released their latest Virtual Criminology Report. Personnel from CERIAS helped provide some of the research for the report. The report makes interesting reading, and you might want to download a copy. You will have to register to get a copy, however (that's McAfee, not CERIAS). The editors concluded that there are 3 major trends in computer security and computer crime:

1. An increasing level and sophistication of nation-state sponsored espionage and (some) sabotage.
2. An increasing sophistication in criminal threats to individuals and businesses
3. An increasing market for exploits and attack methods

Certainly, anyone following the news and listening to what we've been saying here will recognize these trends. All are natural consequences of increased connectivity and increased presence of valued information and resources online, coupled with weak security and largely ineffectual law enforcement. If value is present and there is little or no protection, and if there is also little risk of being caught and punished, then there is going to be a steady increase in system abuse. I've posted links on my tumble log to a number of recent news articles on computer crime and espionage. It's clear that there is a lot of misuse occurring, and that we aren't seeing it all.

[posted with ecto]