The past two years were fascinating for cybersecurity pros. We watched as the world frantically switched to virtual versions of work, school, and play, and we saw how quick cybercriminals were to react to the confusion.
We’ve spent a lot of time analyzing the changes and predicting what’s next. Here are the key 2022 cybersecurity trends we’re tracking, and how to stay on top of them.
#1 Ransomware attacks will continue to rise
Unfortunately, ransomware attacks aren’t going anywhere. Why? Data is a hacker’s most valuable currency, and they know how much it’s worth to their victims, whether they’re targeting individuals or businesses.
A quick refresher on ransomware attacks: cyber criminals hack into a system or network and basically hold the data hostage until the victim pays the “ransom” — which can run into the hundreds, thousands or even millions of dollars. Depending on the attack, the hacker might encrypt all your files, folders and hard drives so you can’t open them, or lock you out of your device so you can’t even log in.
With so many people and companies digitising their operations during the pandemic, we’ve all found new ways to work virtually. As a result, we expect supply chain attacks to be a big cyber trend in 2022. This is when a cybercriminal finds the weakest link in a supply chain, and uses that as a springboard to hack into the rest of the links in the chain. Think unsecured cloud platforms or out-of-date banking sites.
If you collaborate with third-party partners and vendors, it’s important to have a frank conversation about their work from home cybersecurity — and see if they’re on par with your practices.
Trending tip: Make it a priority to protect your data so if it does become compromised, you’ll be able to recover any losses and mitigate the effects of a breach. ESET’s Identity & Data Protection can help you set up end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication while ensuring you’re meeting your industry’s compliance requirements.
#2 Cloud cybersecurity will be a hot topic
Between work, school and hobbies, much of our lives moved online in 2020 — and quickly. Many people began using the cloud for the first time, or relying on cloud services to do their jobs.
The problem is, not all cloud platforms are secure. Some offer encryption and authentication, while others can’t tell the difference between an authorised and unauthorised user. Technically, this means a clever cybercriminal could access your files and any sensitive information they contain with little effort.
Enter: Cloud sandboxing technology.
This tool helps to identify, respond and block attacks, like malware and ransomware, before they enter your cloud. ESET’s Dynamic Threat Defense uses cloud sandboxing to run constant tests isolating and analysing suspicious files, and keep your data safe from common and emerging threats.
Trending tip: While you’re at it, it’s worth configuring your cloud network security so hackers can’t bypass your internal policies and gain access to your drive. ESET Cloud Office Security can do this for you, plus detect and protect your devices from spam, malware and phishing attacks.
#3 Remote work will bring up new challenges
It’s no secret the shift with remote work brought a fresh set of challenges for companies in 2020 — and many were left scrambling to get their work from home security up to scratch. Two years later, and we’re feeling a little more settled, but there are still plenty of issues to work through when WFH.
Phishing emails are still incredibly common, and we predict we’ll see more whaling attacks, geo-targeted scams and attacks aimed at CEOs and other executives. We can expect hackers to find creative ways to tap into companies’ Privileged Access Management systems, which restrict data access to the people who need it to do their jobs.
Finally, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend is here to stay, especially with the hybrid workforce model becoming popular as we transition back to “normal life.” Allowing employees to use their personal devices for work can help to cut costs, but it also opens companies up to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. If you’re not in a position to purchase laptops for your employees, take the time to educate them on the best cybersecurity practices.
Trending tip: Working from home on your personal computer? Connect to a VPN before logging into work for the day, create complex passwords and set up multi-factor authentication on all your accounts.
Get ahead of the trends
The start of a new year is the perfect time to assess your cybersecurity and take steps to improve it. To make sure you’re prepared for any cyber threats that come your way, invest in a sophisticated antivirus for 2022, like ESET’s software.
