TOP-THREE CYBER-THREATS IDENTIFIED IN THAILAND

According to a global security software company – Trend Micro, Top three cyber-threats in Thailand this year will be online-banking malware, malware on mobile devices, and attacks on open-source vulnerabilities, Khongsak Kortrakul, senior manager of technology services at the company, said the great majority of malware attacks on mobile devices would target Android-based units.

In the first nine months of last year, 2.3 million mobile devices were hit by malware. Meanwhile, vulnerabilities were exploited by the security bugs Heartbleed, Shellshock and Sandworm.

The major victims were government agencies. However, the education sector does not seem to interest cyber-criminals.

He said online-banking malware would be on the rise this year as banks were providing new services via mobile applications, and app users were easier to attack than banks' own systems.

Khongsak said that in 2015, more cyber-criminals would turn to darknets and exclusive-access forums to share and sell crimeware, while increased cyber-security would translate into better, bigger and more successful hacking tools and attempts.

Exploit kits will target Android, as mobile vulnerabilities play a bigger role in device infection.

Meanwhile, targeted attacks will become more prevalent.

New mobile payment methods will introduce new threats, and more attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in open-source apps.

It is also predicted that technological diversity will save devices within the Internet of Everything (IoE) and Internet of Things (IoT) from mass attacks, while more severe online-banking and other financially motivated threats will surface.

William Tan, regional country manager of Trend Micro, said that around 90 per cent of businesses in the world had experienced cyber-attacks, 55 per cent of organisations were not aware of such attacks, and businesses globally loss around Bt1 billion from targeted attacks.

Tan said the firm this year had a strategy to provide its anti-virus software in three areas: complete user protection, custom defence, and cloud data-centre security. It provides anti-virus products and services to individuals as well as businesses. The firm will also focus on the financial-services industry, telecoms and manufacturers.

"We provide a full range of anti-virus and security solutions to support all customers. We also expect to expand our share of the enterprise market and create stronger alliances with our partners," he said.

He said that the firm last year posted revenue of around US$5.8 million for growth of about 22 per cent from 2013. It expects this year's to be 27 per cent.

Voice have been raised to emphasize the fact that cybersecurity has been a major issue to be concerned. Security matters to everyone from governments to finance to private sector companies of all sorts. Nobody wants to be the next JP Morgan, Home Depot or Sony. Yet everybody seems equally vulnerable. That’s why we must work together and put the best minds to bear on the problem to figure this out. The trouble is these are dreadfully difficult problems or we would have solved them by now.