New Threat Report: Hackers are Adapting to Microsoft’s Safer Software [feedly]

New Threat Report: Hackers are Adapting to Microsoft's Safer Software
https://blogs.bromium.com/2016/09/13/new-threat-report-hackers-are-adapting-to-microsofts-safer-software/

-- via my feedly newsfeed

• Our semi-annual  Bromium Labs Threat Report shows Microsoft software is getting harder to exploit.
• In response, hackers are getting cannier: focusing more on ransomware and watering-hole attacks, for example.
• These new threats mean that even though Microsoft's systems are safer, users have to be more on their guard than ever.
• Download the report and then join our free webinar on September 28th featuring Rahul Kashyup, EVP and chief security architect at Bromium.

Microsoft's software is now more secure. So you now need to be more on guard than ever.

You read that right: recent increases in Microsoft security may have made the company's products more impervious to hackers, but ironically they may have put you more at risk.

Download the report. Register for free webinar.

Microsoft software has long been a favored target for cyber criminals, because we all use it all of the time. Microsoft is aware of this, and has been working hard to patch the vulnerabilities in its code. The effort seems to be paying off.

Complex vulnerabilities.

According to the latest semi-annual 2016 Bromium Labs Threat Report, although there are more vulnerabilities than ever, a higher proportion of them are very complex. That means hackers have to go to greater lengths to use them.

According to the report, "Not all vulnerabilities are exploitable and not all exploitable ones are actually used in attacks."

It's good news for Microsoft software users. Unfortunately, though, when cyber criminals can't get what they want they don't just give up. They look for another way.

Havoc online. Ransomware takes off.

So while many have simply focused on other commonly used software packages (Adobe Flash being the favorite), others have started to look into novel ways to create havoc online. Take crypto-ransomware, for example.

This is where a hacker infects your digital device with malware that encrypts all your data. If you want to gain access, you have to pay a ransom and you'll get a decryption key.

This rather nasty cyber threat has boomed in 2016, with malware launches well into double digits.

Cyber criminals are smart.

In their haste to get your money, some cyber criminals haven't even bothered to create code that works properly, so you could pay a ransom and still not get access to your stuff.

Another form of malware that is evolving quickly is that based on macros in spam emails and Word documents. These have been around for a while but now come with extra tricks to avoid detection.

Then there's 'watering-hole' attacks: malware hidden in web servers which you get directed to when looking for blogs and other popular sites. All these threats are on the rise in 2016.

The bottom line is that even if Microsoft has beefed up its security, it's still a dangerous cyber world out there. So make sure you are prepared before you dive in.