As the saying goes, to govern is to predict. That also applies to security professionals. To protect your organization today and tomorrow against cyber attacks, you need to continuously respond to changes in the threat landscape. That's why we have listed the key security trends for 2023.
What attack methods are emerging? And what are the underlying causes? For security professionals, it is crucial to take a glimpse into the future from time to time, says Erno Doorenspleet, Vice President Security Strategy at KPN Security. "These predictions give an image of tomorrow's digital risks. You can already include this in your security strategy. Reacting becomes anticipating."
'In 2022, numerous organizations, both in the Netherlands and elsewhere, faced a cyber attack. These were the most noticeable cyber incidents of 2022.'
The most striking trends and predictions for 2023 are:
Threatening with ransomware
A ransomware attack can lead to reputation damage, especially if journalists get wind of it. According to BeyondTrust, it is no longer necessary to hack an organization. Cybercriminals only need to threaten an attack, without providing evidence that they are inside. Out of fear of reputation damage, the ransom is paid. This emerging form of extortion is called ransom-vaporware.
Critical infrastructure under fire
KnowBe4 warns of 'catastrophic' cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, especially given the war in Ukraine. Such an attack could lead to a major outage with a social and economic impact. KnowBe4 also does not rule out that citizens, dissatisfied with the impending recession and high inflation, will carry out digital attacks themselves, for example on government and national infrastructure websites.
Resistance to monitoring employees
Some companies monitor the productivity of employees. According to Forrester, this may be in violation of laws and regulations such as the AVG. The market research firm expects this technology to face more resistance in 2023, for example from unions and regulators. It is possible that even a top executive will be fired for using electronic monitoring.
Phishing attacks on collaboration tools
Security professionals deal with phishing aimed at email accounts on a daily basis. But according to Check Point, in 2023, cybercriminals will increasingly target collaboration tools such as Slack, Teams, OneDrive and Google Drive. These tools have become indispensable within many companies due to hybrid work. They house a wealth of sensitive data and thus become an interesting target.
Cybercriminals bypass MFA
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is becoming more common. According to Proofpoint, a new cat-and-mouse game begins: attackers are seeking weak spots in this authentication method. They attack users whose login information they have stolen with requests to grant access, in the hope that the victim will eventually yield. They also develop new tools to crack MFA, such as phishing kits for stealing tokens.
More cyberattacks with deepfake audio
Experts from Mimecast expect more cyber attacks in 2023 with deepfake audio. AI technology makes it possible to imitate a voice very convincingly. For example, an attacker can pose as an IT worker over the phone and thus elicit log-in information for company systems. This trick is probably combined with other attack methods such as sending fake emails.
Dangerous cocktail of IoT and shadow IT
Atakama warns of the combination of Internet of Things devices and shadow IT. Many IoT devices such as cameras and microphones are poorly secured. Manufacturers prioritize convenience over security, and users often do not set strong passwords. When the IT department has no visibility of such a device and it is not monitored by the security platform, the risks increase significantly.
Security expertise becomes even scarcer
The frequency and complexity of cyber risks are growing every day. Limiting these requires specialized skills, which are already in short supply. According to Deloitte, in 2023 it will be "extremely difficult" to attract the right security talent, train people, and keep expertise in-house. As a result, more organizations are considering outsourcing (part of) their cybersecurity.
Fraud with emission rights
By purchasing emission rights, companies and governments can offset their emissions. Opportunistic cybercriminals target the CO2 rights market, predicts CyberArk. In the coming year, we can expect more million-dollar frauds in which emission rights are stolen and sold.
Dubious practices in the metaverse
Is the metaverse a paradise for cybercriminals? Fortinet fears widespread abuse of the online world. For example, malicious individuals can access personal information through an avatar. There is also a risk of theft of virtual property, which is then resold. Due to the use of VR and AR technology, it may even be possible to steal fingerprints or iris scans.
Increase in supply chain attacks
According to Gartner, by 2025 45 percent of organizations will have experienced a supply chain attack. This is a threefold increase compared to 2021. Cybercriminals have clearly seen the light. For example, via an IT service provider, they can also penetrate the clients of that service provider and cause much damage. This happened, among others, to Uber. Data from Uber employees was on the street after a break-in at one of Uber's software suppliers.
