Spyware is on the rise and has been the cause of many data breaches. Stopping it needs to be a strategic part of an organization's overall security plan. Reactive signature-based anti-virus and firewall technology is not a complete solution to prevention. Read this white paper to learn the top five behaviors associated with data theft and how advanced behavioral detection solutions is an effective technology for stopping spyware and can identify and prevent legitimate applications from being misused.
White Paper How to Win the Battle Against Spyware with Next Generation Technology
Table Of Contents
Table of Contents.......................................................................................................... 2
Overview....................................................................................................................... 3
Signature-Based Solution Limitations ......................................................................... 4
Behavior-Based Solutions............................................................................................. 5
Profiling Behaviors....................................................................................................... 6
Key Logging..................................................................................................... 6
Register System Driver..................................................................................... 7
Hijacking Applications.................................................................................... 7
Screenshots....................................................................................................... 7
Modify the Hosts File....................................................................................... 7
Conclusion.................................................................................................................... 8
Appendix I ± SpyCatcher¶s Advanced Behavioral Detection....................................... 9-11
2White Paper How to Win the Battle Against Spyware with Next Generation Technology
Overview
In the past year there have been many real life examples of what can happen if sensitivedata has not been secured properly. Data security breaches have been reported at manyhigh profile companies including TJX, Disney, Western Union, Fidelity, Monster.comand TD Ameritrade. Data breaches have also occurred at many smaller organizations, yetthey are often not made public. The FBI estimates that spyware and other computer-1related crimes cost US businesses $67 billion per year. The damage to a company¶sbrand is immeasurable.
Spyware is on the rise and has been the cause of many data breaches. The reason for thisis that unlike virus writers, the motive of its perpetrators is financial gains. Unprotecteddata that once had a low risk of being stolen now has a greater chance of being exploited.Sophisticated spying techniques are being used to steal data, such as key logging (anapplication that records keystrokes), or modifying host files to redirect an IP address froma trusted website to another untrustworthy site. There are many tools freely available onthe Internet to aid with this data theft, and to complicate the situation even further there isoften legitimate software that can be used for illicit means. For example, remote controlsoftware used by technical support to troubleshoot employees¶ computers can be used toobtain unauthorized access to a system containing confidential information such as socialsecurity numbers or bank accounts.
Not only is there a sinister motive by spyware developers and distributors, but spywarehas exhibited more complex multifaceted behaviors making detection and removal moredifficult. Microsoft reports that in the first half of 2007 there was a 500 percent increasein trojan downloaders and droppers (malicious code used to install files such as trojans,password stealers, key loggers and other malware on users¶ systems) as compared to the2previous six months. Spyware is pervasive on the Internet and it can be difficult topinpoint where a user may download spyware. Since it can be invisible to users, thelonger the spyware is running undetected on a system, the greater chance a data theft mayoccur. Usually there is only a hint that spyware is present when computer or networkperformance degrades, users report more display ads, and/or users report their browserhome page has been redirected.
Even in the face of escalating data security breaches, many administrators are not using asolution that specifically addresses the spyware threat. In a survey of 479 US corporations,the Poneman Institute cited that 62% of IT security professionals rate spyware as the numberone threat to the integrity of intellectual property and customer personal identifiable3information, ... [download for more]
