Mobile users beware.
In a country with strong mobile Internet penetration, where 95 million Filipinos own at least a mobile phone and unlimited number of free applications abound, thinking before downloading any application is tantamount to data protection.
Trend Micro’s Q1 2013 Security Roundup Report prominently featured the Philippines in the top 10 list for the following: Top 10 Risk of Privacy Exposure Due to App Use, Top 10 Malicious Android App Download Volumes, and Top 10 with the Highest Battery-draining App Downloads Volumes.
“Mobile Internet continues to be strong in the Philippines. With the Internet becoming more and more accessible, and with unlimited number of free apps available, Trend Micro recommends that users practice a stronger sense of discernment in downloading. This is the first step in ensuring their data privacy protection,” said Myla Pilao, director for Core technology, Trend Micro.
Trend Micro’s Q1 2013 Security Roundup also highlighted multiple zero-day exploits found targeting popular applications like Java, Adobe Flash Player, Acrobat, and Reader.
Other Prominent Q1 threats
Zero-Day Attacks
New attacks against Oracle’s Java and Adobe’s Flash Player, Acrobat, and Reader reveal that vulnerabilities are emerging faster than they can be patched and are quickly being incorporated into professional attack kits such as the “Black Hole Exploit Kit.”
“Of course Java is cross-platform and that is somewhat attractive to criminals, but what is really attractive is its vulnerabilities and its ubiquity,” said Rik Ferguson, Trend Micro’s Global VP Security Research. “This definitely won’t be the last zero-day vulnerability in Java and it won’t be the end of the vast attack surface that it currently offers to criminals.”
Attacks on South Korea
The high-profile attacks executed in South Korea this March reinforced that theft is no longer the sole focus of hacking efforts, but rather these breaches are also designed to cripple critical networks via innovative techniques including:
– Multi-platform focus such as UNIX and LINUX
– Specific countermeasures for installed security software
– Hijacking of patch management systems
“Given the capability of what took place in South Korea, it is likely that increasingly destructive attacks will continue to be a threat,” said Tom Kellermann, VP of Cyber Security. “With each quarter, attacks are becoming bolder and more targeted, pointing to concerns far beyond the compromise of personal data.”
You can check the complete report here.
