Security software reviews are coming fast and furious at the moment, but McAfee has gone one step further by effectively issuing what it calls a “call to arms” for the computer security industry.

The media might focus on security software reviews, but the likes of McAfee wants to give the cybercriminals a kick where it hurts.

And this new report focuses on the need for the computer security industry to take a far more proactive approach when it comes tackling the threats posed by cybercriminals.

McAfee points to an increasingly cybercriminal dominated environment with incidents of cyber-espionage, the workings of major cybercrime syndicates, rings and gangs, and, the launch of sophisticated malware devices such as Stuxnet which targets key infrastructure systems. Given all the threats and the almost ‘professional’ approach adopted by many modern-day cybercriminals, McAfee is of the view that it’s about time the security industry stepped up to the plate.

Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee Labs, said:
“Cybercriminals prosper because they have very little reason to fear the consequences. As security experts, it’s time to take a hard look at what we do, how we do it, and what our ultimate goals are. The tools and techniques of cybercrime continue to grow in number and sophistication at alarming rates. Every time we release a new statistic about the rise in malware it points to our failure as an industry.”

The report is entitled “Security Takes the Offensive” and has been partly authored by international experts who have compiled strategies which are hopefully clarion calls, says McAfee, for the computer security industry. What upsets these experts is that both security companies and computer users themselves, have always played a defensive game and, figuratively speaking, is like putting armour on computers and networks. The report says that it’s about time that everyone took a more aggressive and proactive stance, bringing to bear all the forces of law and order to beat the cyber-criminals.

David Marcus, director of security research and communications for McAfee Labs, said:
“As we look at the evolution of risky domains and websites over multiple years, we can’t avoid the conclusion that the risk keeps increasing in both volume and sophistication. If we want to stop being victims, then the good guys need to advance security efforts as threats evolve.”

Guest Article by Neil Camp