Cyber security landscape: Don’t be the weak link in the chain

The cyber security landscape is changing, and the threats we face today will become even more critical in the years ahead. Here’s what you need to know about how your organization can stay secure as these trends continue. According to Mckinsey “Cyber attacks have emerged as a top concern on the global stage. These malicious activities, perpetrated by cybercriminals, hacktivists, and state-sponsored actors, pose a significant threat to governments, businesses, and individuals alike. The frequency, sophistication, and impact of cyber attacks have increased, with data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other forms of cybercrime becoming more prevalent and severe”.

Cybercriminals are making wrong data theft even worse. 

It’s no secret that cybercriminals are out to steal your data, but they’re also using it in other ways. With the ‘bad data theft’ trend, criminals are finding new ways to use your information to gain access to more than just financial accounts.

• They can use your credentials and access codes from a stolen email or social media account to impersonate you and commit fraud. 
• They can use your personal health history for blackmail purposes or sell it on the black market for profit. 
• It’s not uncommon for cyber criminals to steal intellectual property from companies through,wrong data theft (think of how often companies get hacked), then sell that information back on the dark web for profit! 

IoT security is still a considerable challenge. 

One of the biggest challenges for IoT security is that it is a complex problem. The vast number of devices and how they are connected make it incredibly difficult to protect them from malicious attacks. IoT security is not getting better at all; it’s not getting worse either, but it’s not improving. 

Expect more ransomware attacks on mobile devices, including your car. 

Ransomware is malware that encrypts your data and demands payment to decrypt it. Ransomware may be delivered via phishing emails, but can also be downloaded from malicious websites. It can also be installed by exploiting vulnerabilities in software (especially older versions). 

Ransomware attacks on mobile devices will increase due to the increased use of mobile devices for work and personal tasks. Hackers will also target cars because these vehicles contain valuable information that can be sold on the black market after a successful attack. 

Cybersecurity spending is set to decline. 

While cybersecurity spending is expected to decline, the number of cyberattacks ,and their costs is at a rise. So even though a 5% decline in spending might not seem like much, it still means that companies will be paying more for their cybersecurity solutions. 

Mobile payment security threats will increase. 

Mobile payment systems will remain vulnerable to attack throughout 2022. 

Fraudsters are targeting mobile payment systems because they are not as secure as they should be. Swindlers have been able to use social engineering tricks like phishing and vishing, among others, to steal money from victims worldwide. 

Mobile payments will continue to grow in popularity and usage throughout 2022, which means that it’s important for consumers and businesses alike to understand how these various mobile payment methods work so that they can protect themselves against fraudsters who may want their money or data 

Data protection legislation is set to expand. 

In 2022, you can expect data protection legislation to become more stringent. 

In May 2020, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect in the European Union, which means that all companies that collect data about EU citizens must comply with its requirements. If your company does business in Europe or has dealings with Europeans, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the GDPR and how it affects your business operations. 

Social engineering attacks are on the rise. 

Social engineering attacks are becoming more and more common. These attacks exploit human nature to trick people into giving up information, such as passwords or confidential information. They often involve using social media to find information about a target, then  asking for something that would be considered “out of the ordinary” to gain access to their private accounts. 

Social engineering attacks can be very effective because they prey on people’s natural curiosity and willingness to help others—even when they know they shouldn’t. However, these kinds of crimes are proliferating as hackers use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to gather personal details about their targets before launching an attack against them. 

Here are some examples: 

• In 2011, a hacker used Facebook chat messages to trick his friend into downloading malware onto his computer by claiming it was just “a silly video game.” The victim then sent him photos from his laptop camera so that he could see what kind of game he had downloaded onto his computer! 

Traditional antivirus solutions are becoming less effective. 

In the past, antivirus software was able to protect against many standard and easily identifiable malware. But with newer threats becoming more sophisticated and targeted, it’s become harder for traditional antivirus solutions to detect these malicious programs. 

This means that your best bet is to use multiple layers of protection: first scan your system with an effective antivirus tool; second employ other security measures such as firewalls or sand boxing apps; third limit access to sensitive data and resources through robust solid authentication techniques like multi-factor authentication (MFA). 

It’s going to get easier for employees to work securely from home but harder for IT managers to keep them secure as they do so. 

The cloud is the future. By 2022, more than half of all IT services spending are on cloud services. This means that organizations need to focus on making their employees’ work lives more accessible while still keeping them secure at home and in the office. 

The cloud is more secure than your hardware or software. Suppose you’re thinking about going with a service from one of the big tech companies like Google or Microsoft. In that case, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that these companies have worked hard to ensure their products are as secure as possible by using only trusted sources for components such as microchips and operating systems. In addition, there’s less chance of an attack because all data stored in the cloud must pass through an encrypted tunnel before reaching its destination, making it impossible for hackers who might try to intercept communications between two parties communicating online via email or chat room applications like Skype.  

Cloud services account for more than half of all IT services spending by 2022. 

Cloud services are growing in popularity and for a good reason. Cloud computing can save organizations millions of dollars annually by making IT more efficient and flexible. Cloud services are also more secure than on-premise solutions because they are hosted by a third party, it dedicated IT security professionals working 24/7 to protect your data from hackers. And because the service is managed remotely, there’s no need for you to hire a full-time employee just to keep your servers up and running! 

The cybersecurity landscape may look different in 2022, but it isn’t any less dangerous. 

Cybersecurity is a growing problem. The number of cyber threats and cyberattacks against businesses and individuals is increasing, which means the risks will continue to grow. 

Cybersecurity is a global issue. Cybersecurity a growing concern for countries around the world that are trying to protect their information systems from attacks by foreign governments, terrorist organizations, and other attackers who want to steal information or cause damage with malware like ransomware. 

Cybersecurity is a complex issue. The cybersecurity landscape may look different in 2022. Still, it is not any less dangerous as cybercriminals continue using new tactics to get into your networks and take control of your devices so they can steal money from you or use them for malicious activities such as spying on you, stealing personal data about you or even turning your device into a botnet (a network of computers controlled by hackers). 

Cybersecurity isn’t going anywhere, but it is changing. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, there are some things you can do to protect your business from cybercrime—but it’s also essential to understand how criminals operate and what they might try in the future. Expect more attacks on mobile devices and IoT devices like smart speakers or smart TVs. There will also be more ransomware attacks targeting cars a social engineering scams targeting specific individuals rather than companies. Cybersecurity spending will decline overall, but there will likely be an increase in spending within specific sectors, such as healthcare or retail, due to regulatory requirements.  For more knowledge, read our blogs on our website Auxin.io.