Cybercriminals Shifting Focus To Non-Windows OSes

Orome1 writes "In a major cybercrime turning point, scammers have begun shifting their focus away from Windows-based PCs to other operating systems and platforms, including smart phones, tablet computers, and mobile platforms in general, according to the a new Cisco report. The report also finds that 2010 was the first year in the history of the Internet that spam volume decreased, that cybercriminals are investing heavily in 'money muling,' and that users continue to fall prey to myriad forms of trust exploitation."

Comments

Android app store now rejecting apps

[goombah99]

I see in the news that the android app store is now rejecting apps. The apps rejected were ones that downloaded other apps. Thus they were vectors for invasive software. Or at least potentially so. Likewise Moto is locking down droid with a re-incarnating system rom and apoptotic immune system. Apple has been heavily criticized for it's app store restrictions. But to me all these moves are a great idea. I don't want my phone to be so versatile that I have constantly be vigilent. Someday I might work up the nerve to let it function as a credit card. I defintely want to see years of virus/torjan free operation before I try that.

If I wanted a toy I could program as I wish I'd buy one of those. But please let there be some severly locked down phones before we all get telphonically transmitted diseases.

Re:Android app store now rejecting apps

[icebraining]

I don't see any problem with the Android App Store restrictions because you can choose to install packages from other sources if you choose. So, if you like feeling safe, don't mess with it. If you don't like the restriction, enable out of store installations.

Motorola's eFuse, on the other hand, seem nothing more than a way for them to control your phone; I don't see how it protects you.

Re:That's part of the protection.

[gazbo]

Best part of a decade ago there was a Windows email virus (forget which one, sorry) that did rather well for itself. In order to avoid detection, it spread by email in a password protected zip file. In order to become infected, the user had to open the zip by typing in the randomly generated password given in the email, extract the executable within, then run it.

It was then that I realised there will never be a technical solution that makes more than a dent in malware infections.