Cybersecurity Trends In 2022

Introduction:

Hackers and security providers compete to outsmart each other in cyber security, a fast-paced industry. New threats – and creative ways to combat them – appear regularly. We will take a look at the recent Cybersecurity trends.

1. Cybersecurity Risks Associated with Remote Work

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most companies were forced to shift their workforces to remote work, and they did so quickly. Many surveys show that even after the pandemic, a large portion of the workforce will continue to work remotely.

Many employees have two-factor authentication enabled on their devices, as well as mobile apps for instant messaging clients like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Because the lines between personal and professional life are becoming increasingly blurred. Sensitive information is more likely to fall into the wrong hands.

As a result, focusing on the security challenges of distributed workforces is a critical cyber security trend. This process includes identifying and mitigating new security vulnerabilities, as well as improving systems, implementing security controls, and ensuring proper monitoring and documentation.

2. The Evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT)

As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, cybercrime will become more prevalent. Cybercrime will become more common as the Internet of Things (IoT) grows. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term that describes physical devices that are connected to the internet and share data, but not computers, phones, or servers. By 2026, it is expected that 64 billion IoT devices will have been installed around the world. This expansion is aided by the trend of working remotely.

The processing and storage capabilities of most IoT devices are inferior to those of laptops and smartphones. This makes using firewalls, antivirus, and other security software to protect them more difficult. As a result, IoT attacks have become one of the most talked-about cyber-attack trends.

3. Ransomware’s Ascension

Ransomware is a threat that has existed for nearly two decades. It is, however, becoming more common than ever before. There are over 120 different ransomware families, and hackers have mastered the art of concealing malicious code. Ransomware has become popular because it is a relatively simple way for hackers to make money.

Another factor was the Covid-19 pandemic. Many organizations’ rapid digitization and remote working have created new ransomware targets. As a result, the number of attacks increased, as did the size of the demands. Criminals steal company data and encrypt it to create backdoor access, which they use during extortion attacks. Following that, cybercriminals blackmail the company, threatening to release its confidential information unless a ransom is paid. Given the sensitive data at risk and the financial implications of paying the ransom, the cost of this cyber threat is significantly high.

In the year 2020, ransomware made history by being involved in the first cyber-attack-related death. A woman who required immediate medical attention was transported 20 miles away to a nearby hospital, but she died. Through machine learning and more coordinated sharing on the dark web, ransomware attackers are becoming more sophisticated in phishing exploits. Hackers frequently demand cryptocurrency payments, which are difficult to track. Shortly, we can expect more ransomware attacks on organizations that are not cyber secure.

4. The Number of Cloud Services Is Growing

One of the most significant cyber security industry trends is cloud vulnerability. Following the pandemic, the rapid and widespread adoption of remote working increased the need for cloud-based services and infrastructure dramatically, posing security concerns for businesses.

Scalability, efficiency, and cost savings are all advantages of cloud services. They are, however, a prime target for assailants. Aside from data breaches, organizations face the following network security trends and cloud security challenges:

• Ensuring regulatory compliance across jurisdictions
• Having enough IT expertise to deal with the demands of cloud computing
• Cloud migration issues
• Increasing the number of possible entry points for attackers
• Insider threats – some accidental, some deliberate – caused by unauthorized remote access, weak passwords, unsecured networks, and misuse of personal devices

5. Social Engineering Attacks Are Becoming More Sophisticated

Phishing and other forms of social engineering are not new threats, but they have grown in importance as the remote workforce has expanded. Employees connecting to their company’s network from home are easier to target, attackers target them. In addition to traditional phishing attacks on employees, whaling attacks on executive organizational leadership have increased.

SMS phishing, also known as smishing, is on the rise, thanks to the popularity of messaging apps like WhatsApp, Slack, Skype, Signal, WeChat, and others. These platforms are used by attackers to persuade users to download malware onto their phones.

SIM jacking occurs when fraudsters contact a client’s mobile operator’s representative and persuade them that their SIM card has been compromised. This necessitates the phone number being transferred to a different card. Organizations are beefing up their anti-phishing defenses, but criminals are always looking for new ways to stay ahead of the game. This includes advanced phishing kits that target victims differently depending on where they are located.

6. The Discipline of Data Privacy

One of the most important data security trends is the rise of data privacy as a discipline in its own right. Millions of personally identifiable information records have been exposed to several high-profile cyber-attacks (PII). This, combined with implementing stricter data laws worldwide, such as the EU’s GDPR, means data privacy is becoming increasingly important.

Fines, bad publicity, and a loss of consumer trust await organizations that fail to comply with regulations and consumer expectations. Data privacy has an impact on almost every aspect of a business. As a result, businesses are emphasizing the hiring of data privacy officers as well as the implementation of role-based access control, multi-factor authentication, encryption in transit and at rest, network segmentation, and external assessments to identify areas for improvement.

7. Multi-Factor Authentication Is Becoming More Effective

The gold standard of authentication is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). On the other hand, malicious actors are developing new ways to get around it, such as authentication via SMS or phone calls. As a result, Microsoft advised users in 2020 to abandon phone-based MFA in favor of app-based authenticators and security keys.

Although SMS has some built-in security, the messages sent are not encrypted, including those used for authentication. This means that malicious actors can use automated man-in-the-middle attacks to get one-time plaintext passcodes, creating a risk for activities like online banking, where authentication is frequently done through SMS. Banks and other organizations will increasingly turn to application-based MFA, such as Google Authenticator, Authy, and others, to address this issue.

8. The Rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Humans cannot handle the sheer volume of cyber security threats on their own. As a result, businesses rely on AI and machine learning to improve their security infrastructure. There are financial incentives: in 2020, companies that had a data breach but had fully implemented AI technology saved an average of $3.58 million.

AI has played a critical role in the development of automated security systems, natural language processing, face detection, and automatic threat detection. AI also makes it possible to analyze large amounts of risk data much more quickly.

Large companies dealing with large amounts of data, as well as small and mid-sized businesses with under-resourced security teams, will benefit from this. While AI offers businesses a significant opportunity to improve threat detection, criminals also use the technology to automate their attacks through data poisoning and model stealing techniques. The practical applications of AI are still evolving; we expect security tools based on AI and machine learning to become more sophisticated and capable in the future.

9. Mobile Security Is Becoming More Prominent

• The rise of mobile is aided by the remote working trend. Remote workers frequently switch between mobile devices, such as tablets and phones, while collaborating remotely and connecting to public Wi-Fi networks. As a result, the number of mobile security threats is growing and changing. The ongoing rollout of 5G technology also introduces potential security vulnerabilities, which must be addressed as soon as they are discovered.

Here are some examples of mobile threats:

• Spyware designed to keep track of encrypted messaging apps
• Criminals taking advantage of critical security flaws in Android devices
• Mobile malware used for a variety of purposes, including DDoS attacks, SMS spam, and data theft

There is no single method for protecting apps in insecure environments; rather, it is about adding additional layers of security to boost overall security. Security experts combine mobile software security with hardware-based security solutions to reinforce sensitive data storage.

CONCLUSION

In this age of accelerated digital transformation, cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to target and harm individuals and organizations, which means cybersecurity issues will continue to evolve. Using a high-quality antivirus software solution like Kaspersky Total Security can help you stay safe in the face of the latest cyber threat trends. Learn cybersecurity so you can stay ahead of the curve when it comes to security threats.

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