Cybercriminals are constantly advancing their hacking techniques year after year, and new emerging threats have surfaced on the cybersecurity landscape. In 2019, there was a massive increase in phishing attacks that relied on an end-user making a simple mistake to allow entry into a network, in 2020 hackers aren’t relying on end-users anymore and are going directly after the private data.
The Use of AI in Ransomware and Malware Attacks
Artificial Intelligence is a double-edged sword that can be used as a security solution or as a weapon of hackers. AI can be programmed with the ability to adapt to specific environments or how to intelligently respond to a situation. Hackers can use AI to help spread malicious software by applying machine learning and other factors to help exploit any vulnerabilities within a network. AI-based attacks are very serious because they are persistent. An AI-based attack may not succeed in the first attempt, but adaptability abilities can allow hackers to succeed in subsequent attacks.
Cloud Storage
In 2019 we saw one of the largest breaches in history, the Capital One data breach, occurred once a hacker gained access into one of the cloud servers by hacking the third-party cloud computing company Capital One used. This breach resulted in over 100 million unique records being exposed and served as a warning sign for what is to come in later years. In 2020, more and more organizations are migrating to the cloud, and using a safe and secure cloud provider is very important. Security should be a very important topic while choosing which cloud provider to go with.
5G and Cellular Based Attacks
The adoption of 5G will allow hackers to be more proficient and severe. The higher bandwidth will allow hackers to launch wider and more powerful attacks that can be very severe. In 2019, we saw hackers utilize cellular towers and services to their advantage when it came to SIM card swap attacks. 5G will bring newfound technologies to life such as self-driving cars and instantaneous updates to hospitals for patients in need; however, like all technologies, it must be secured and protected.
Prioritization
The greatest cybersecurity threat to organizations in 2020 is the lack of planning or unwillingness to adopt new cybersecurity procedures. Any organization that isn’t prioritizing cybersecurity in 2020 is preparing themselves for disaster. The average cost of a cyber attack is now over $2 million dollars and almost all cyber attacks can be avoided one way or the other. Having a team of qualified and certified cybersecurity professionals can greatly reduce the chances of a cyberattack.
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