Emerging Cybersecurity Threats That People Should be Warned About

Online threats are varied and they are not discriminating organizations form individuals when cyber attackers are looking for a target. From cyberattacks such as infiltrators on system infrastructures and data breaches.

Threats on the cybersecurity are constantly innovative and inventive. As the masters of disguises and manipulation, the threats are continuously evolving in finding new ways to irritate, plunder, and damage.

Provide yourself with the information needed and the essential resources to guard yourself against the growing cyber threats and stay online.

Ransomware and Malware

More costly than data breaches, Ransomware and Malwares are targeting new innocent victims every 14 seconds as the study suggests. Ransomware is hitting a staggering 11.5 Billion dollars in damages in 2019 alone. With the progressive advancement of these viruses, cybersecurity measures are having difficulties keeping up.

To put it more bluntly, ransomware is a subset of malware. Attacks with malware usually come in the form of a simple computer virus. Then the virus ‘piggybacks’ on something such as a file, document, spreadsheets or email. These days, the internet effectively links billions of devices which is why it’s difficult to keep track of these cyberattacks.

Endpoint Attacks

Endpoint attacks usually happen when assailants can use such strategies like leaving an infected flash drive around the organization’s garage in a prospect that a common employee will just pick it up and thoughtlessly plug it into a connected network system.

An endpoint serves as an entry for cybercriminals where attackers will execute their code and exploit all vulnerabilities, and where there are assets to be encrypted, pull out, and used as leverage for the attacker’s advantage like keeping an important file as ransom.

For the last several decades, industries and organizations are heavily relying on antivirus as a mean to secure endpoint attacks. Unfortunately, as development and innovations are progressing by the day, an antivirus can no longer shield today’s modern threats.

But an advanced security measure should prevent known and unknown malware exploits.

Phishing

Pronounced just like it is spelled, like the word “fish”, the analogy of an angler throwing a baited hook out and waiting for the perfect moment to reel it in from the hopes that something would bite. This term rose around the mid-1900s among hackers aiming to trick AOL users into giving up their log in information.

As of late, phishing is more sophisticated than ever. It has been so long that this method is one of the cheapest and the easiest way to attack and exploit targets, which is the reason why phishing is the number one go-to method for cyberattackers.

Phishing uses disguises like an e-mail or a downloadable item as a weapon. The intention is to fool the recipient of the disguised items into believing that the message is something they truly wanted or needed, like a request from a bank or even a note from the company where the recipient works.

Third-Party and Supply Chain Attacks

Also called a “value-chain” or “third-party hack” and it’s on the rise, these hacks occur when someone infiltrates your system through a partner or a provider with access to your systems and your collection of data.

Supply chain attacks are not isolated cases. According to a study back in 2018, approximately 56 percent of organizations have had a breach that was caused by one of their vendors. And only 18 percent of the companies are saying that they knew that those vendors were sharing that information with other suppliers.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Driven Attacks

The information technology security is bracing itself for an assault of new waves of hacking exploits that are powered by smart technology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Black hat technology experts are expected to release several tactics to target and control individuals and organizations who are not ready for it.

Artificial intelligence powered malware can be taught to wait until a specific action happens that triggers the hostile attack on individuals or organizations. It can be activated by just a voice or even facial recognition, and also by geo-location. AI malware can also be trained to tune in to a specific target’s voice.

Takeaway

Although the motivations behind the cyberattacks are vastly great, the impact can incapacitate the business, its valued customers, and its community. We have seen attacks on public infrastructures such as hospitals, airports, schools, and especially banks. But with the cybercrimes progressive evolution, countermeasures are also being enhanced.