The Conficker worm (also known as Kido) is the most significant Internet threat at this time, says Eugene Kaspersky, co-founder and CEO of Kaspersky Lab.
It was such an eye-opener, not just because of what it did, but rather as a proof of concept, showing exactly what criminals are capable of, he adds. "I don't think, at the moment, governments see this as a vital problem, but one such attack would change all of that very quickly."
Kido infected over 10 million computers worldwide. The sheer scale of 10 million machines infected from the same source clearly illustrates some frightening possibilities, for instance, an increase in cyber-terrorism attacks, Kaspersky notes.
The Internet was never designed with security in mind, he adds. Moreover, it has billions of users, no borders and even less controls. If he had his way, Kaspersky would ensure each and every user had a sort of Internet passport. "In other words, a means of verifying identity, not unlike a passport or driver's licence. In this way, authorities could crack down on illegal online activities.”
There is no real anonymity on the Internet, as users can be easily identified through their IP addresses, although professional criminals are expert at covering their tracks, Kaspersky says. An Internet passport would not only make it harder for cyber-crooks to hide, it would make genuine Internet users feel a lot safer.
"Another issue is that of jurisdiction. The Internet has no borders and no rules, and neither do the criminals who lurk online. In direct contrast, however, law enforcement agencies have jurisdictional limits, and cannot conduct global investigations. The establishment of a sort of Internet Interpol would certainly solve this problem," he notes.
However, Kaspersky says he sees the Internet becoming safer and more regulated over time. "I believe the Internet will evolve, with regulation and identification, and similar controls that keep society in line. I don't see cyber-crime disappearing, but I do see it lessening as regulations are imposed."
Long gone are the days of teenage geeks in basements writing malware for the kudos or fun. Today, cyber-crime is a multibillion-dollar industry, with little associated risk, he says. In addition, malware authors are targeting new devices such as mobile phones, which are traditionally not secure. Countries' infrastructure could well become a target in the future, he notes.
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