Here at iGuRu.gr we often mention that there is no security on the internet and of course there are many who agree. Companies spend billions of dollars every year to buy up-to-date security products, but cyber attacks and data breaches do not stop. Recently, "reliable security tools" were discovered that contained vulnerabilities!
Recently, Google's Project Zero has revealed a bunch of critical vulnerabilities in two security products using dozens of businesses and consumers from Symantec and its Norton brand.
The gaps allowed in hackers gain complete control over computers that used the applications by sending emails that serve malicious self-replicating code on networks, even if those messages are never opened and no one clicks on the links they contain, according to the researcher Tavis Ormandy of Google's Project Zero.
Ο Ormandy has previously discovered security holes in high security business security products such as: Kaspersky, FireEye, ESET, Comodo, McAfee, and Trend Micro.
As you can tell from the above, we have reached an age where it is impossible to trust products that are supposed to maintain the data us safe. The established security industry appears to be in serious trouble with omissions that put its customers at risk.
The vendors of course to date do not seem to be held accountable, although they should be held accountable for the security holes discovered in their products that put their customers at risk. It's a different problem if the products they sell don't recognize a threat and quite another when the products they market provide a "window" accessto the attackers.
Mr. Ormandy very correctly states, that the software ασφαλείας θα πρέπει να επωφεληθεί από τεχνικές όπως το περιβάλλον δοκιμών (sandboxing) που μπορεί να βοηθήσει στον έλεγχο των δραστηριοτήτων του κακόβουλου κώδικα. Και θα πρέπει όλοι να έχουν συγκεκριμένο κύκλο ζωής ανάπτυξης με τις βέλτιστες πρακτικές ασφαλείας, όπως αυτές που ξεκίνησε η Microsoft και η Cigital. Οι προμηθευτές θα πρέπει, επίσης, να αναζητούν για τα τρωτά σημεία στον σχεδιασμό των προϊόντων τους που μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν από επιτιθέμενους να εκμεταλλευτούν νόμιμα χαρακτηριστικά ή functions to compromise systems. Suppliers should prioritize security in their products and there should be no excuse for not doing so.
But when vulnerabilities are found, the patch does not last long. Spam in the media keeps little, and some lawsuits or law changes should be made to make things better.
After all the above: How can you protect yourself? You should probably minimize your exposure online by better adapting your mindset. So it is rather a question of having realistic expectations.
Do not assume that the security products are safe
Companies should implement security policies on all security tools they use. This means that they should require vendors to provide automated repairs, in-depth examination of their infrastructures and pen-testing on all security products.
Assume your network will be compromised
Even when your security products work as they advertise, it does not mean they're taking all the threats. The online community and companies should be prepared for the possibility of a violation (which is more and more a reality).
Traditional antivirus products that control systems by identifying specific malware signatures when signatures change (something that happens constantly), malware is not recognized.
Responsibility
The security industry is responsible for promising security, to make sure that the sold security products not only work as they should but also do not endanger the end user by sparing backdoors to the hackers.
And the utopia
Security vendors should act as standards for the entire technology industry by developing secure software to restore customer loyalty.
