Phones and tablets are main targets of cyber attacks in 2012

A study says that mobile devices will be the prime targets of cyber attacks over the next year.





A study says ESET Latin America 2012 is the year where mobile devices will become one of the main objectives of computer attacks, especially those who occupy the Android operating system.
Likewise, the evolution of security in desktop operating systems will lead to more complex threats, the report "Trends 2012: mobile malware," prepared by the Research Laboratory of ESET.
Of 41 new variants of malicious code to Android operating systems tested, 70% appeared during the last half of 2011, establishing itself as the period of greatest threats to development of this platform in the last two years.
The rate of use of Google's mobile operating system has increased strongly in the world, thus becoming a target for cybercriminals.
According to Gartner, in mid-2011, Android is the leading mobile platform with more than 400 million devices worldwide, growing at a rate of 550 000 computers per day.
An example of the impact it can generate an attack of this type on this operating system is the DroidDream case, an application that infected more than 250 000 computers that downloaded from the Android Market. Google decided to remotely uninstall the application of all the systems infected by malicious code, and notified by e-mail to all users whose mobile device had been attacked.
"The creators of malicious applications on Android are finding many of the features found years ago in Windows XP. The growth in market share and the ability to spread malicious code will position Android as one of the privileged targets developers malicious code during 2012, "said Sebastian Bortnik, Awareness & Research Coordinator ESET Latin America.
By 2012, more malicious code will also appear with capacities of infringing digital signature systems that have the most modern operating systems.
The threat landscape for next year presented less frequently include highly complex threats and attacks impact with simple and easily accessible to developers, with a greater degree of massiveness.
On the other hand, can be expected locally generated attacks in Latin America, especially hacktivist type, ie attacks for ideological rather than economic.
Social networks may also play an important role in the spread of attacks, and could increase the rate of spread of banking Trojan, the malicious code more characteristic of our region.