Cyber attacks are growing more frequent and more professional, and nowhere is safe, says cyber protection expert Eugene Kaspersky, founder and head of the Kaspersky anti-virus and cyber protection group.


There are different kinds of online attacks, he said, ranging from small and ineffective to highly effective and professional espionage and cyber sabotage. “Espionage is extremely important, and very bad,” he said. One example of successful espionage is the Stuxnet virus, he said.
Many have suggested that Israel and the United States were behind Stuxnet, which hit Iran’s nuclear facilities and spread to several other countries as well.

Online crime is also a problem, he warned. “The criminals are still there… Unfortunately, there are many wealthy criminals in cyberspace,” he said.
Kaspersky warned that the whole world is vulnerable to such attacks, “because we depend on cyberspace.” Online systems are vital to submarines, power plants, hospitals and more, he said.
On the positive side, he said, governments and businesses are increasingly aware of the need for cyber security. He noted the creation of the Interpol subgroup Cyberpol, which he called “very bad news for cybercrime.”