It doesn't matter the segment or size: for business in general, the great force behind its 2020 digital strategies was the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin with, the massive transition to remote work brought the need to reinvent the professional routine, as well as the concern with the level of security offered.
In the wake of these changes, there was also uncertainty regarding the total return of face-to-face work, the urgency of adopting cloud-based services, the use of collaborative tools, remote access to business systems and the frequent use of public networks (to the detriment of most secure virtual private networks, VPNs).
In this scenario of rapid changes, there is an unprecedented challenge in terms of cybersecurity for businesses, reinforcing the alert for the trends that await us over the next few months.
Next, check out 5 trends in cyber threats to track closely in 2021 - and bet on proper preparation now!
Scenario of cyber threats to 2021: after all, what to expect in the area?
Trend # 1 - The evolution of existing threats
Firstly, everything indicates that cyber threats already known (such as ransomware, phishing, Trojans and botnets) will remain prominent. Such attacks, after all, are increasingly automated and based on personal information, often collected from websites and social networks. Once we see an increasing trend towards automation, this type of attack will continue to progress in variety and frequency of my vpn location.
It is also worth remembering that current events can also influence these threats. Just review the increase in phishing emails during the pandemic, crimes that took advantage of the victims' unfamiliarity with remote work applications and other home office tools.
As social engineering and malware campaigns industrialize, cybercriminals are able to step up their attacks until they get a really dangerous threat with a considerable success rate.
Trend # 2 - Attacks on remote and cloud-based services
This trend in cyber threat is also a natural consequence of the changes brought about by the pandemic. The global crisis, after all, has led companies to rapidly adopt new cloud services, as well as remote access tools and collaboration apps.
In contrast, many companies did not have IT specialists with relevant training to properly configure these solutions - and they did not even have the time or budget to provide effective tools of good quality.
It is interesting to note here that server applications, cloud storage and containers do not always have the protection they need. It is not by chance that they are among the favorite targets of cybercriminals.
In this sense, the compromise of these services and configuration problems only increase the risks, threatening the integrity and confidentiality of corporate information. Such scenarios inevitably point to data leakage as a major trend.
Trend # 3 - Attacks "no file" (File less Attacks)
As its name suggests, file less attacks are not based on malicious attachments and files, and generally do not create any other files to complete cybercrime. As a result, this type of criminal action can go unnoticed by many cyber security prevention and detection solutions.
In practice, a typical file less attack works like this: first, the victim receives an email with a link that directs to a malicious website. On the page, possible social engineering resources launch new system tools, such as PowerShell, whose detection is a real challenge for traditional defenses.
At this point, it is worth noting: file less attacks are not exactly a novelty. The use of system tools as forms of attack is a practice that has existed for decades, but which has grown considerably in recent times.
This criminal modality is also not limited to attacking companies in isolation. Increasingly, service providers are targeted by hackers, who abuse the infrastructure and management resources of these businesses to also compromise their customers.
Trend # 4 - Customized Payloads
Targeted attacks are much more effective in compromising data and systems, even though they require more efforts by criminals. In recent times, the approach has become increasingly sophisticated.
It is not a novelty: Cybercriminals can tell a lot about a network (network) through corporate websites, social networks and their individual systems compromised. Armed with such knowledge and aware of existing vulnerabilities, hackers can build payloads (data transmission charges) specifically designed to bring down specific networks.
Trend # 5 - Commitments in business processes
Sometimes, hackers identify weaknesses and flaws not in applications, but in the flow of business operations. In fact, experts have detected an increase in the so-called “business process compromise”. In these situations, criminals take advantage of vulnerabilities in the operating system to make financial gains.
It is interesting to note that such attacks require considerable knowledge of the victims' systems and operations. For this reason, they usually start with a compromised system on the affected network: in this way, hackers are able to closely observe the organization's processes and gradually identify failures and problems.
Again, these are attacks with an immense detection challenge. As they are very discreet, these cybercrimes can go unnoticed for long periods of time.
2021 scenario requires preparation
As cybercriminals evolve their technologies and attack strategies, organizations of all sizes and segments need to step up and consolidate their approach to cybersecurity and data protection.
In fact, antivirus software that only covers the system level is not enough to combat modern cyber threats. In turn, data backup alone is also unable to provide adequate protection against digital disruptions caused by malicious agents.
In this scenario, there is an urgent need for complete and complex protection that encompasses all workflows, including data and applications from multiple domains. The answer here is to bet on integrated solutions that automate system monitoring, regularly check for vulnerabilities and ensure the necessary endpoint protection to stop emerging threats.
So, did you like the content? We hope the information will help you prepare solidly for the next challenges to come! ???????
