Every time a company or device is hacked or infected with malware, someone will be blamed. However, that “someone” is rarely the malware responsible for the breach or infection.
Security engineer and malware researcher Bart Blaze from Panda Security published an interesting take on this “blame game” on his blog. The expert believes that the only culprit is malware and proposes a new model where no one else should be blamed except the malware authors and the botnets that distribute it.
According to Blaze, each side has its own responsibilities. Users should be aware of the responsibilities and risks when surfing the internet and should install some security software, always keeping in mind that there is never 100% protection.
Security companies with Antivirus solutions should also know that there is never 100% protection and the customer should be aware of this. Really, which company informs us about this?
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Security companies, on the other hand, will have to accept the fact that there is only one constant: the cat-and-mouse game between malware and security solutions.
The goal is to combat malware, Blaze said, and the key to achieving this goal is collaboration, coordination, and integration, the researcher continued.
Each side should focus not only on blaming the other, the good guys, but also on blaming the malware. For example, a user should listen to the information from security companies and researchers, and prioritize security.
Security companies can share, as much as possible, their interesting findings, and collaborate with other companies.
Antivirus vendors should consolidate their resources, encouraging researchers to share their findings with them. They should also share their own findings if they uncover a significant threat.
ISPs can help by warning their customers if they identify malware in circulation and can provide clear and useful information.
Users can also play an important role in this movement. When they fall victim to an attack by cybercriminals, the best thing they can do is try to determine how it happened.
Was it pirated software, did they click on a link, download malware, did they have their login details stolen?
Unfortunately, as Blaze points out, there isn't enough information to instruct users on what to do next. However, the easiest thing someone can do is contact the authorities and file a complaint.
Another useful tip is to visit your local Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) website, as in many cases they can provide advice on what to do.
