14 DAY TRIAL // Security company Trend Micro expects the number of vulnerabilities in Adobe and Apple products to increase in 2017 and overtake Microsoft’s, as this year already brought a substantial boost for the two companies.
Trend Micro says the Zero-Day Initiative, also known as ZDI, reported a total of 135 vulnerabilities in Adobe products and 76 in Microsoft’s, which once again shows that Adobe still has a lot of work to do in order to make its products more secure. A worrying trend was also reported in the case of Apple, whose number of vulnerabilities doubled from 25 to 50 as of November.
“We predict that more software flaws will be discovered in Adobe and Apple products in addition to Microsoft’s,” Trend Micro said in its security forecast.
“Apart from the fact that Microsoft’s PC shipments have been declining in recent years as more users opt for smartphones and professional-level tablets instead, the vendor’s security mitigations and improvements will also make it more difficult for attackers to find more vulnerabilities in its OS.”
Keep an eye on Apple and Adobe vulnerabilities
Next year, the security firm explains, Apple software is very likely to become a more popular target for attackers, mostly because more users are switching to Macs. At the same time, iPhones will also be targeted more often, and devices such as the iPhone 4S, which is no longer supported by the Cupertino-based company, will see more exploits for vulnerabilities that are left unpatched.
“In addition to Microsoft’s security improvements, this gain will further drive cybercriminals’ attention to non-Microsoft alternatives,” Trend Micro explained when looking at Apple’s growth.
More exploit kits are thus expected to see daylight next year, and a big part would no longer be aimed at Microsoft users exclusively. Apple and Adobe products will continue to require particular attention because of these vulnerabilities, and Trend Micro says that vulnerability shielding should become a priority for more customers due to the expected growth of zero-days.