Cyber Wars Flame on

Cyber espionage

Experts: Flame represents a new level of state-sponsored cyber attacks

1 June 2012

The latest cyber espionage malware, Flame, represents a new level of sophistication in state-sponsored cyberattacks; experts note that Flame circumvented anti-virus programs, and remained undetected between two and five years; one expert says: “[Flame] uses multiple exploit combinations so it is pretty significant that it hid itself, but maybe the best ones have not been discovered yet”; another expert says: “The failure to detect Flame means simplistic signature-based detection is obsolete”

Organizations must adapt their approach to cyber security according to the U.K.-based Information Security Forum (ISF).

The warning comes in the wake of the latest state-sponsored cyber attack, Flame, which is regarded as one of the most complicated and potentially damaging computer viruses yet created. Designed specifically for the purposes of cyber espionage, the attack has already affected Middle Eastern states, Iran, the West Bank, Syria, and Egypt.

According to the ISF, cyber attacks of this nature are becoming increasingly sophisticated as state-sponsored espionage, activism (online activists), and cybercrime move up a gear. This level of sophistication will only grow and grow on a global scale....

Much more on this cyber war here.