Internet Security Threat Report 2013 : Recommendations from Symantec

The Internet Security Threat Report for the year 2013 has been released by Symantec , which of-course is alarming. The report is well organized and also provides recommendations and possible solutions to the listed threats. I am quoting the recommendations from Symantec straight from the report.

Protect Yourself Against Social Engineering. 

For individuals as well as for businesses, it’s essential that people learn to spot the telltale signs of social engineering, which can include undue pressure, titillation or a false sense of urgency, an offer that is literally too good to be true, bogus “officialese” in an attempt to make something look authentic (for example, lengthy reference numbers), implausible pretexts (for example, a Microsoft  representative” calls to tell you that your computer has a virus), and false quid-proquo offers (for example, receive a free gift when you provide personal or confidential information).

Avoid Ransomware. 

Avoid marginal websites and, in particular, pirate software and adult sites. Do not install unsolicited plug-ins or executables if prompted to do so, even on legitimate websites. Consider using advertising blocker software in your browser. Ensure that your computer is up to date with the latest patches and updates to increase your resistance to drive-by Web infections. Keep backups and recovery disks so you can unlock your computer in an emergency. And, of course, have effective, up-to-date security software.

Think Before You Click. 

That unsolicited email from a known acquaintance, such as your mother or coworker, may not be legit. Their account may have been compromised, if they’ve fallen for a social engineering trick.

Antivirus on Endpoints Is Not Enough.

On endpoints (desktops/laptops), signature-based antivirus alone is not enough to protect against today’s threats and Web-based attack toolkits. Deploy and use a comprehensive endpoint security product that includes additional layers of protection, including:

•  Endpoint intrusion prevention that protects against unpatched vulnerabilities from being exploited, protects against social engineering attacks, and stops malware from ever making it onto endpoints;
•  Browser protection for protection against obfuscated Webbased attacks;
•  Heuristic file-based malware prevention to provide more intelligent protection against unknown threats;
•  File and Web-based reputation solutions that provide a risk-and-reputation rating of any application and website to prevent rapidly mutating and polymorphic malware;
•  Behavioral prevention capabilities that look at the behavior of applications and malware and prevent
malware;
•  Application control settings that can prevent applications and browser plug-ins from downloading unauthorized malicious content;
•  Device control settings that prevent and limit the types of USB devices to be used.


Note: The entire article is available at the symantec website.