New technology such as MP3s may soon be used as vectors for viruses, a security specialist visiting Australia has warned.
“We've recently been looking at how things embedded into MP3 files might become a problem,” Vincent Gullotto, vice president of AVERT -- the developer of McAffee anti-virus systems -- told ZDNet Australia. “There will soon be MP3s that will play the video clip at the same time as the music, and if you can embed movie files to MP3s you can embed Java and other languages that may contain malicious programming.”
The big trend recently has been viruses that use mass mailing as a vector, which really took off after the Melissa virus, according to Gullotto. Many companies have now installed protection such as blocking executable files, which reduces the effect of viruses using this vector.
Many virus writers are now looking at gateway jumpers -- getting inside a network and working their way out from there, according to Gullotto. This will result in a change in the speed with which virus infections grow.
“We won't see these huge outbreaks, you'll see these slow, steady crawlers, much like the macro viruses we used to have,” Gullotto said. “Writers are now looking at multiple vectors to get their program into the computer.”
Other new software platforms singled out as likely targets for attack were .NET, problems with XP, and Linux. “We've seen some Linux viruses,” said Gullotto. “Some people are saying there is a goal to have Linux on 50 percent of machines in a few years, and if that happens the number of viruses for Linux would go up.”
Gullotto is critical of the security used by corporations, especially those using Wireless LAN. “Wireless LANs don't have very good security. Security exists, but not many people use it,” he said.
“From a corporate standpoint, you need a security policy that includes an antivirus policy, a firewall policy, and so on. It needs to be a living type of policy. With threats changing and technology changing, what works today may not work tomorrow. Your workplace needs to be adaptable, but people need to adhere to policies to protect the workplace environment.”
