The most recent on-going internet security threat attacks, where consumers use to fall prey are the data breaches which lead to identity theft. This identity theft is done when the Web browser or the plug-in or the Web application is vulnerable. Also nowadays hackers use site specific and do cross site scripting to acquire the confidential information of a user. This kind of cross scripting is done mostly for the banking sector. To resolve this kind of website or web browser vulnerabilities, the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are being implemented to have a secure session where the website address beings with Https:// instead of Http://. Later the EV SSL Technology i.e Extended Validation SSL certificates have been initiated by a internet security software development company, known as Comodo, which formed the CAB Forum i.e. Certification Authorities and Browsers Forum to provide High Assurance stringent validation certificates. After such a hard time defense against the Zero-day attacks, patch development vulnerability, phishing attacks, pharming attacks and malicious code attacks till date of 2008, now security professionals and analysts have started working out for the internet security threat predictions for the year 2009.
As far as the prediction made, there would be more and more internet security threats would be similar to the recent threats along with the form of virus, worms, and spam bot-infections etc. And most of the attacks would be made by the phishers sector wise which involves huge financial transactions and mostly using the cross site scripting. Also Phishers have begun targeting the top countries and host companies which may result in severe attacks in future. So unless and until the user, let them be a consumer, bank, institution, or a corporate know about the vulnerabilities prevailing, the attacks can’t be prevented. So consumers need to be educated on the security measures and the authentication models before they become the victims of identity theft or network attack. To be on the safer side corporate’s also need to prevent themselves and protect their consumers to have a good business.