Ransomware attacks have drastically risen. And 2022 will not be the year when we can relax about these threats. The latest figures from the ANSSI (National Agency for the Security of Computer Systems) say that the surge in ransomware attacks in the first six months of 2022 is going to be up by 60% (the figure had already quadrupled in 2020). In addition to the classic attack targets, hackers will exploit vulnerabilities related to increasing remote working. After demanding an initial ransom payment in exchange for the data they have just stolen, hackers may increase the amount and threaten to publish or resell the data. The main targets are SMEs, large corporations, and more recently also cloud, backup and archiving service providers are falling prey to these attackers. But potential victims no longer have to put up with being the target of these attacks. They can now count on security systems that fend off cyber-attacks and there are also cyber insurances to pay the ransoms. All the same, cyber security for staff is of the utmost importance as cyber criminals are incredibly innovative.
In 2022, the trend for working from home continued to rise, despite relaxation of pandemic measures. Remote working brings with it many benefits, but it also puts companies at rick of more cybercrime attacks and provides a larger target. Many employees are still using their private computers to work on every day. These devices poses a security risk and are often the gateway for attacks on the company systems. Hackers also use new attack methods to penetrate into computer networks: phishing, social engineering, and more.
The focus therefore need to be shifted back onto human beings. And employee awareness needs to be enhanced to keep up with new challenges in cyber security.
During the pandemic, delivery chains played an important economic role. But these structures are fragile: lacking monitoring as well as missing logistics and digital solutions invite hackers in. The hacker attack on Colonial Pipeline is an example of this, during which online criminals blackmailed the operators of one of the most important pipelines in the USA for nearly 4.4 million dollars. The case of the world’s largest food processing company, JBS, also grabbed the headlines in 2021 after it paid an 11 million dollar ransom to hackers. These kind of attacks are bound to become more common most users simply aren’t aware of the risks.
By 2027, it seems certain that nearly half of all mobile phone contracts will be 5G. The technology isn’t just revolutionising users’ behaviour, but is driving the Internet of Things (IoT), which is still very much in its infancy in terms of security. The more complex networks that are needed to support this technology and the volumes of data that are shared give cybercriminals plenty of scope for attack. That’s why operators need solutions that protect the entire network and mitigate the impact of a breach through segmentation. This will ultimately considerably reduce investment and operating costs as the solutions can be scaled according to growing demands for capacity.
An ever-increasing number of companies are turning to cloud service providers to grow their business. According to the KPMG Global Strategy Group, bys the end of 2020, cloud revenues totalled to 129 billion dollars, highlighting the fact that this market has a very high growth potential that is increasing exponentially. Unauthorised third parties could, however, access a large quantity of personal or critical data, which is why cloud services will soon be in cybercriminals’ cross hairs. The vulnerabilities inherent in these services will allow large-scale attacks to launched against businesses of all shapes and sizes. If information is stored in a data centre abroad, it is subject to the regulations of that state. which means that this data can be accessed by parties for whom it was not intended. The public cloud certainly offers many benefits, but there are also considerable risks when not used properly i.e. through a European provider.
