Name: Ryan Sherstobitoff
Position: Chief Corporate Evangelist
Previous jobs: Consultant for GE and Crystal Decisions (Business Objects)
Education: Okanagan University in British Columbia

In the following interview, Ryan Sherstobitoff, Chief Corporate Evangelist - Panda Security discusses 1:1 with Rake Narang, Editor-in-chief of Info Security Products Guide, shielding against increasingly sophisticated malware.

Rake Narang, Chief Editor - Info Security Products Guide: How has malware evolved over the years? What weaknesses do malware take advantage of these days and how aggressive have they become?

Ryan Sherstobitoff, Chief Corporate Evangelist - Panda Security: Malware writers continue to find new and inventive ways to infiltrate computer networks and get past traditional security systems that were designed to stop them.  Over the last year we’ve witnessed cyber criminals direct their efforts on a specific target with the primary goal of financial gain. What was once only an annoyance has morphed into a multi-billion dollar global enterprise. Not surprisingly, the characteristics of this new breed of malware involve a far more sophisticated approach that is not easily stopped. There are no loud, massive epidemics associated with this new type of financially motivated malware. Rather, a majority of this malware infects users silently without their knowledge. For example, over 50 percent of the detections within today’s leading anti-virus labs, including Panda Labs, are related to Trojans of some form or another. These are mostly banker Trojans designed to steal confidential information.

This new breed no longer relies on massive propagation or that of destructive pay-loads, but rather attacks solely for economical gain through penetrating authentication barriers. The losers, unfortunately, are individuals and businesses alike.

"Malware has evolved rapidly from simple nuisance to sophisticated and targeted illegitimate business. Panda Security is at the forefront in harnessing the collective power of the Internet for the better by providing solutions that utilize signatures in “the cloud” to detect and vaccinate malware uniquely."

Rake Narang, Editor-in-chief, Info Security Products Guide

Rake Narang: What are the latest products and services provided by Panda Security? How are security solutions from Panda Security helping organizations adhere better to regulatory compliances? 

Ryan Sherstobitoff: In December 2007, we announced the latest version of Panda Security for Business, which we believe is the most comprehensive, multi-layered protection from malware attacks for corporate and SMB users available today. Panda Security for Business allows customers access to its online, on-demand audit service, Malware Radar, for detecting and disinfecting malware and other security problems that slip past the permanent protection systems installed at most companies.

Another flagship product was released in January 2008 -- Panda Security for Internet Transactions, an anti-fraud security service that protects banks and online merchants against active malware targeting business to consumer as well as business to business transactions.

All of Panda’s products leverage Collective Intelligence, our unique security approach that automates and enhances the malware collection, classification and vaccination process by gathering malware information from the Internet community at large. This approach allows a much greater detection ratio by utilizing signatures in “the cloud” via web-based technologies, rather than locally.

As for regulatory compliance, the rapid pace at which cyber criminals seed the industry with new threats contributes to the overall problem that is causing technical safeguards to fail. This puts the corporation at risk of violating regulatory standards which untimely will lead to serious consequences if sensitive information is leaked.

Public companies that must adhere to regulatory laws, must also adopt better internal controls to ensure that hidden infection points are discovered and removed before any exposure occurs. Better yet, modern assessments must take into consideration the possibility of assets already compromised by hidden and undetected malware. Panda actively works with customers to employ a wide range of technical safeguards that can be implemented to significantly reduce potential exposure and the organization’s overall risk, also mitigating malware threats while complying with regulatory standards.

Rake Narang: Will the security vendors always be playing a catch-up game with malware? How do you see the security products and services evolving 2-3 years from today?

Ryan Sherstobitoff: This evolving threat landscape is in dire need of a solution that is proactive, but provides better protection than current resident proactive models. Collective Intelligence, also known as Herd Intelligence, offers exponentially greater protection from the very real threat of targeted malware. Yankee Group, a leading analyst firm, contends that security labs must “make herd intelligence central to their long-term survival strategies” in order to stay ahead of the insidious threat landscape.

Rake Narang: How is your company focusing on 2008 growth? As an executive leader, what steps have you taken that have had a positive impact on your company?

Ryan Sherstobitoff: As malware becomes increasingly sophisticated, the time has come for companies to shield themselves with a better equipped layer of security to protect against the current wave of hidden malware attacks.  Collective Intelligence lies at the heart of all Panda Security products, now and in the future because it enables maximum protection with little reliance on additional resources. We are utilizing the strength of Web 2.0 to gather malware intelligence and safeguard our customers from the very real threat of malware. 
This new layer of protection will provide the capability to tackle this problem and keep a technological edge over the professional malware creators.

I am trying to make a positive impact by creating awareness around a very real problem and educating everyone I come in contact with on the best ways to counteract and neutralize this pervasive security threat.  

All About Panda Security
Head Office Address: 230 N. Maryland Avenue, Suite 303, Glendale, CA 91206 (U.S. Headquarters) – World Headquarters in Bilbao, Spain
Founded in: 1990
CEO: Jorge Dinares
Public or Private: Private
Investors: Invest Industrial (Italy/Spain), Gala Capital (Spain), HarborVest (Boston), Atlantic Bridge (UK)
Number of Employees: 1500
Products: Panda Security for Business, Panda Security for Internet Transactions, Internet Security 2008, Malware Radar, Gate Defender
Company’s Goals: To provide our customers with the most reliable protections against security threats with complete transparency. To enhance traditional technologies with Collective Intelligence global protections; proactive technologies to combat new threats and Risk Assessment automation.          
Awards Won: Panda Security for Internet Transactions, “Most Innovative Product or Service,” Tecnet 2008 in Spain; Jorge Dinares, CEO at Panda Security: “CEO of the year”, Dintel Foundation – Spain, January 2008; Panda Software: “Best Software Award”. IT ChannelVision – USA, May 2007. According to a recent study conducted by AV-Test.org, an independent malware testing authority, Panda Security’s anti-malware solutions offered the most effective proactive protection.  Panda Security solutions proactively detected 91 percent of threats compared to other security offerings from Trend Micro (68 percent), Symantec (66 percent), or McAfee (55 percent).