The Biggest Security Threats of 2013

Security vendor McAfee has released its threat predictions for 2013. It foresees increases in ransomware, mobile malware, NFC “tap and pay” worms, botnets and “click to hack” online marketplaces.

Ars Technica’s Megan Geuss reported, “Computer security firm McAfee Labs released its annual Threat Predictions report today, taking a look at what we’ll see (and hope not to see) on 2013’s deck of malware and viruses. Interestingly, McAfee’s analysis predicts a decline in Anonymous’ attacks, a rise in the frequency and sophistication of mobile malware, and a rise in large-scale attacks that aim to cause as much destruction as possible.”

McAfee’s Gary Davis blogged, “Increased mobile threats are certainly on the horizon. This is perhaps no surprise given the explosion of mobile devices, and mobile malware, that the team has seen in the last couple of years. Also on the list are innovative ways in which cybercriminals plan to continue profiting from old scams while working on new scams to dupe victims.”

Maximum PC’s Paul Lilly warned, “If you thought Windows 8 would provide refuge from an increasingly malware infested web, think again. Security firm McAfee has just released its annual Threat Predictions report in which it highlights the top threats it foresees for the coming year, and like it or not, Windows 8 is going to be a major target. Despite improved security in Windows 8, McAfee believes targeted malware will be available faster than it was for Windows 7.”

And PCWorld’s Tony Bradley noted, “McAfee says the trend of cyber attacks as a political or military tool will become more sophisticated, and suspicions of state-sponsored cyber attacks will continue to grow, and warns that crimeware and hacking-as-a-service business models will become more mature.”