The problem our industry faces, he says, is that cybercrime has become a business like any other, but with the important exception that the money involved is significant for the fraudsters at the top of the chain.
"It's a business. There are affiliate schemes, partner events and rewards way ahead of any other market. The rewards for some criminals are measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's so easy", he explained.
Against a backdrop of some cybercriminals that he and his team have investigated, Kaspersky said that some cannot even see what they doing is a real crime. They claim, he says, that it's only virtual money and no one gets hurt when they rip internet users off.
The solution to the growing problem of cybercrime, he told his audience, is the use of cloud-based IT security, which a number of vendors – including Kaspersky and Trend Micro – are adopting.
"Cloud security has become the norm in the IT security industry. It's not a replacement for conventional IT security – it's an addition", he said, adding that the bad news is that even cloud IT security does not stop advanced and complex malware like Stuxnet from hitting home.
The only piece of good news to emerge from the complex world that is IT security today, he explained, is that the cost of successful entry to the world of cybercrime is actually becoming a lot more expensive.
"It's clear that traditional AV technology is not enough any more. But it's still a must" he concluded.