Microsoft cybersecurity report: 70 percent decline in severe security vulnerabilities, but criminals aren’t giving up

Microsoft’s latest cybersecurity report, released Wednesday, shows a 70 percent decline in the number of severe vulnerabilities that were exploited in Microsoft products between 2010 and 2013. The report suggests that the security measures Microsoft has included in newer software has helped make life more difficult for would-be attackers, writes Tim Rains, Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing director.

But the data also indicates that cybercriminals are increasingly using deceptive tactics in their attempts to compromise computer systems. In the second half of 2013, there was a noticeable increase in cybercriminal activity where attackers used deceptive practices; in the last quarter of 2013, “the number of computers impacted as a result of deceptive tactics more than tripled,” Rains says.

The cybersecurity report is published twice a year to help customers, partners and the broader cybersecurity community understand the tools, tactics and threats posed by cybercriminals.

To download a copy of the report, visit: www.microsoft.com/sir, and read Rains’ entire post on the Microsoft Security Blog.

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Suzanne Choney
Microsoft News Center Staff