More bang for the bug: An account of 2003´s attack trends

We can find considerable information security debris in the wake of 2003´s attack trends and new security flaws. New and serious vulnerabilities were discovered, disclosed, and subsequently exploited in many ways - from simple, straightforward methods to more advanced and innovative exploitation techniques. This paper examines a handful of the more than 3,000 unique vulnerabilities and 115,000 security incidents reported in 2003 (according to CERT Coordination Center´s report for quarters one through three) and do my best to predict information security woes for 2004. The author´s analysis focuses on the distinguishing characteristics of the 2003 attacks trends rather than on specific vulnerabilities or a precisely defined taxonomy of security bugs.