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Cisco 2009 Annual Security Report Highlighting global security threats and trends Contents The Cisco® Annual Security Report provides an overview of the combined security intelligence of the entire Cisco organization. The report encompasses threat information and trends collected between January and December 2009. It also provides a snapshot of the state of security for that period, with special attention paid to key security trends expected for 2010. Cisco 2009 Annual Security Report All contents are Copyright © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. 2 Security Trends 24 United States Government Update Vendors Increase Focus on Software Vulnerabilities Compliance Does Not Equal Security Political Attacks: Controlling the Conversation Data Loss: A Few Ounces of Prevention . Announcing the 2009 “Winners” of the Cisco Cybercrime Showcase 28 2010: The Cybersecurity Landscape Remote Working: Are You Ready for a Crisis? 6 Social Media: We’re the Problem Social Networks: A Cybercrime Hotspot in 2010 Tiny URLs Equal Big Security Threat Social Media: Political Tool, Newsmaker Criminal Classics: No Shortage of Spam Hello? Cybercrime is Calling Shining a Light on the “Dark Web” U.S. Toppled as #1 Spam Sender 10 Online Risks 32 Introducing the Cisco Global The Rise of the Banking Trojans ARMS Race Index Anti-Virus Software Scams User Education and Realistic Policies: Cloud Computing and Hosted Services Not for the Back Burner Seeing More Clearly Into the Cloud Reputation and Global Correlation: More Critical Than Ever The Password Problem: Recycling Is Not a Good Idea The Borderless Enterprise: Anywhere, Anytime Architecture Web Threats and Other Vulnerabilities Borderless Demands a New Approach 2009 Vulnerabilities and Threat Analysis Security Community: Maintaining a United Front A Recipe for Trouble: The Security 18 The Cybercrime Monetization Primer “Nightmare Formula” Moneymaker #1: Financial Fraud Moneymaker #2: Product Sales and Advertising 36 Cisco Security Intelligence Moneymaker #3: Criminal Services Operations The Cisco CROI Matrix Letting Money Mules Carry the Load Do Online Criminals Read BusinessWeek? All contents are Copyright © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Cisco 2009 Annual Security Report 1 Security Trends Where does work happen? No longer does business take place solely behind network walls. The critical work of an organization is happening increasingly on social networks, on handheld devices, on Internet kiosks at airports, and at local cafes. 2 Cisco 2009 Annual Security Report All contents are Copyright © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Where and how will work get done in 2010? On social SocialSocial Media Media UsageUsage inin the the Ent Enterprise*erprise* individual who is masquerading as a trusted social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn; over networking colleague could convince a user to visit a handheld wireless devices like BlackBerries and iPhones; malware-laden website or pay for fake anti-virus software via webmail and instant messaging; and on airplanes, in or spurious weight-loss remedies. Simply put, social cafes, and anywhere else there’s an Internet connection. media has been a tremendous benefit for the creators of s Facebook (1.35%) And with each advance in technology that enhances site MySpace (0.22%) online scams. b LinkedIn (0.06%) connectivity and communication, the migration from the We Twitter (0.05%) Vendors Increase Focus on “traditional” office environment, where work happens Orkut (0.04%) Software Vulnerabilities behind fortified network walls, will intensify. The traditional Friendster (0.03%) There is some positive news to report from 2009 that corporate perimeter, with clearly identifiable boundaries, *As of November 2009 will likely carry into 2010: Software vendors appear to has diminished. In its place, a network with limitless 0.0% 0.20% 0.40% 0.60% 0.80% 1.00% 1.20% 1.40% be working hard to patch vulnerabilities. In the months of potential is rising—one where companies, their customers, Percentage of All Clicks September and October 2009 alone, Cisco, Microsoft, and their partners demand access to information Oracle, and Adobe—whose products have been the whenever and wherever they need it. In an examination of weblog data from more than 4000 Cisco web security customers, the impact of social media usage on the enterprise targets of exploit attempts—released updates to patch These are exciting times, but the dramatic changes in how is clear. As much as 2 percent of all web traffic in these businesses more than 100 vulnerabilities in their respective software and where business is conducted demand a new way of comes from accessing social media sites, such as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn. “While 2 percent may seem like a small number in terms products. In addition, the vulnerability that allowed the thinking about how to secure an enterprise and what it of an employee’s total daily web browsing, it indicates an increase Conficker botnet to gain strength was patched. And the cares most about—its people, operations, and assets. The in an organization’s need to educate employees on potential losses newest releases of the Microsoft Internet Explorer and mobility of information inside and outside of corporate which could occur via social media,” said Christopher Burgess, a senior security advisor to the Chief Security Officer at Cisco. Mozilla Firefox web browsers offer significant security networks, the emergence of personal devices and new upgrades. applications being used on the corporate network, and the And the bad news? According to Cisco research, the persistence and sophistication of the criminal community number of vulnerabilities and threats remained relatively are transforming how the security industry approaches Consider social media. Its impact on computer security consistent in 2009 compared to previous years, but the protecting businesses and averting threats. cannot be overstated. It is now routine for workers of all generations to interact with colleagues, customers, or exploit and attack threat levels increased by 57 percent. It is information technology’s role to ensure that the partners using social networks that, a few years ago, would New attacks rely on social media users’ willingness to appropriate people, using the correct devices, are have been populated mostly by computer users in their respond to messages that supposedly originate from accessing the proper resources while having a highly teens and twenties. In addition, it is common for workers to people they know and trust. It is easier—and often, more secure yet positive user experience. Business operations, blend business and personal communications on these lucrative—to fool a social media user in order to launch an behaviors, and ideas are transcending the artificial social networks, further blurring the network perimeter. attack or exploit or steal personal information. (Learn more boundary outside of the network perimeter—the firewall— about specific vulnerabilities on pages1 5 and 17.) and, in turn, are being shared in ways that current security The high levels of trust that users place in social networks— models may not have considered. that is, users’ willingness to respond to information appearing within these networks—has provided ample opportunity for new and more effective scams. Instead of searching out vulnerabilities to exploit, criminals merely need a good lure to hook new victims. For example, an All contents are Copyright © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Cisco 2009 Annual Security Report 3 Political Attacks: Controlling the Conversation Hackers intent on silencing Jakhaia launched a DDoS Although cybercriminals can profit from their exploits attack that not only overwhelmed Twitter but also took quickly and with little effort, money is not always the motive. it down for hours. It also affected Facebook, YouTube, Some attackers are on a mission to cripple servers and and LiveJournal. The attackers called a botnet into other critical infrastructure to create communications action, and thousands of “zombie” computers deluged nightmares and disrupt the operations of specific entities, the web with spam, which included links to various such as governments, the offices of spiritual leaders, and webpages associated with the blogger. In an interview media outlets. Others are interested simply in controlling with BusinessWeek, security researcher and Cisco Fellow the conversation on the Internet, especially when they Patrick Peterson said the hackers essentially used “a hand 1 disagree with what they read. grenade to silence a fly.” Since 2007, politically motivated online attacks—big Even so, mischief-makers clearly like to use this swift and and small—have increased worldwide, and they can be high-impact method when they want to make a point. In expected to increase. Distributed denial of service (DDoS) September, a company managing online donations for United States (U.S.) Representative Joe Wilson of South Although cybercriminals can attacks appear to be the weapon of choice. The growing numbers of botnets, another big story from 2009, are Carolina—who made headlines earlier that month for profit from their exploits quickly partly to blame for this trend. So, too, are the increasingly shouting “You lie!” during President Obama’s address to abundant,
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