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Smarter, Stealthier, Sneakier Malware

From Stuxnet to Duqu to new incarnations of Zeus, sophisticated attacks are becoming more numerous -- and harder to stop

Feb 08, 2012 | 07:20 PM | 

By Tim Wilson
Dark Reading
Stuxnet. Duqu. Advanced persistent threats. Ever-evolving versions of Zeus and other malware.

Malware is not only spreading, it's getting smarter. And sneakier. For most enterprises, it's difficult just to keep up with the newest and most sophisticated attacks, let alone stop them.

Dark Reading doesn't have any silver bullets, either, but we can help you catch up with the latest on the werewolves and the vampires. In fact, that's purpose behind "Smarter, Stealthier, Sneakier Malware," a new report published this week on Dark Reading's Advanced Threats Tech Center.

The report, which offers a look back at our recent coverage of emerging malware and next-generation attacks, offers a look at some key developments from the past few months:

>> New versions of Zeus and SpyEye have developed the ability to circumvent out-of-band security technology.

>> Experts offers some advice on how to stop advanced threats after they've penetrated your outer defenses.

>> A relatively small number of attackers are responsible for most of the APTs the industry has seen so far.

>> The link between the Stuxnet and Duqu attacks leads to some key lessons for enterprises that must defend against such sophisticated attacks.

>> A new denial-of-service attack creates trouble for websites by causing content to be read slowly.

To read these articles and other coverage of the most recent advanced threats, download the full Dark Reading Alert on advanced malware.

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Advanced Threats Reports

report How Did They Get In? A Guide to Tracking Down The Source of an APT
If you think that your organization hasn't been affected by an advanced persistent threat, you probably haven't looked hard enough. Identifying that your organization is under attack is difficult enough; determining the scope of infiltration and damage presents a whole new level of challenge. To effectively protect against APTs, security pros will need to employ an arsenal of tools in a coordinated fashion, as well as develop new understandings of and approaches to system and data exploits. Here's a short and simple guide to this challenge.

report Detecting and Defending Against Advanced Persistent Threats
APTs are a growing problem for enterprises big and small. Protecting your organization from these targeted threats requires constant vigilance, ongoing employee training and a concerted effort to align security systems to address every phase of an APT. Companies also need to develop a remediation and response plan if, despite best efforts, defenses are breached.

report Smarter, Stealthier, Sneakier Malware
Increasingly sophisticated and targeted attacks are making it more difficult for organizations to detect and defend against the latest malware. In this compendium of recent coverage from Dark Reading, you?ll get a look at some of the newest -- and most dangerous -- malware on the Web, and what you can do to stop it.

Other reports from the Advanced Threats Tech Center:

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