NotPetya and Wannacry, two of the viruses that caused a lot of damage last year. In 2018, the cyber threat has evolved. What kind of cyber attack can we expect? How to protect ourself against it?
An update on what you need to know with My Technician.com.
Ransomware have not said their last word
Ransomware locks access to computer files by encrypting their content. In order to be able to decrypt them, victims must pay a substantial sum of money. They are named Wannacry, NotPetya or Locky and created panic all over the world last year. This year, their growth has been confirmed and the threat could spread to cell phones, connected objects and the cloud.
Cryptocurrency piracy continues to be expensive
Cryptocurrency is increasingly used on world markets while its regulation is still not finalized in all countries. Bitcoin remains highly coveted by hackers. For example, they use clipboard hijacking techniques to change the recipient’s wallet ID by replacing it with the cybercriminal’s wallet ID. In this way, the victim transfers the bitcoins directly to the hacker.
Theft of confidential information is increasing with conversational robots (chatbots)
The development of artificial intelligence offers companies the opportunity to offer ever more personalized services to their customers. In particular, the arrival of chatbots (Alexa, assistant Facebook M…) makes it possible to chat with customers, through a robot, in a natural language. These conversational robots represent a new opportunity for cyberhackers to steal personal or confidential data using malware. Well configured, the robot is indeed able to “speak” like a human but can also communicate with third parties by imitating the behavior of a company or an individual.
What are the new solutions to the persistent threats?
Companies are increasingly aware of the risks associated with cyber attacks. Some large companies are beginning to adopt threat intelligence methods to collect information on cyber attacks, in order to build a picture of attackers and understand their method to protect themselves.
This year also represents a decisive turning point for the security of personal data, with the arrival of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), applicable since May 25th to all actors processing the personal data of European Union citizens.
Finally, the future of cybersecurity continues to be played out through humans as they remain the favorite target of cyberhackers. Well informed, your employees will perfectly complement the digital tools for cybersecurity. Read our article: How to raise awareness among your employees regarding cybersecurity? to learn how to encourage employees to be vigilant facing the growing threats.
In the end, the fraudsters are still there and continue to thrive. Vigilance and protection are therefore more necessary than ever. Good news: users and companies are becoming aware of the importance of being well prepared for these attacks and are arming themselves with new and increasingly powerful cybersecurity tools.