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.