What are some of the newest threats to be aware of in 2022?
Cybersecurity is always evolving. Hackers and Cybersecurity specialists are constantly improving their skills which means there is always something new to take account for.
1 | Ransomeware Threats
Ransomware attacks affect businesses no matter the size and is one of the biggest cybersecurity trends and threats of 2022. Ransomware essentially holds your files hostage until you pay a specific amount. In 2022 Ransomeware hackers most often make the demands to be paid out in crypto and well, you really don't want to know the average cost for recovering from a malicious ransomware attack... A ransomware attack happens when malware (a virus) is deployed and then hold's the victim's information (on their own computer!) at ransom. This could be an individual user or an organization's valuable data; but made inaccessible by the owner! The hacker encrypts that data or holds it hostage and threatens the individual or organization with a ransom in order to either unlock the data or promise not to expose the hacked data. If you want to learn more about Ransomware attacks and how to better protect yourself check out our blog post on the subject HERE
2 | Geo-Targeted Phishing Attacks
A phishing attack is a socially engineered attack leveraged to attempt to steal your personal information. Think along the lines of your passwords, social media accounts, or credit card numbers.
Phishing emails are by far the most popular method of hackers to attempt to steal your information BUT attacks can also occur through text messages, social media, and even by phone calls.
If you'd like to learn a little more about how you can protect yourself from phishing attacks visit HERE
So what is a Geo-Targeted Phishing Attack?
In the past, cybercriminals would often cast a really wide net and wait for people to fall prey to their scams. Now, phishing is quite often more personalized and geo-targeted.
Scammers now use your geolocation to create custom phishing websites or email chains to target victims. This makes it difficult for individuals to distinguish between phishing scams and the real deal, which is one of the reasons why they end up falling prey to these scams.
3| Multi-Factor Authentiation Becomes the Standard
We featured a past blog on basic two factor authentication (2FA) and how it shouldn't be overwhelming or something to be afraid of. (Read HERE)
2FA should be the minimum security for most online users and it makes your online accounts extra secure.
If you use bank accounts, Amazon, Google, Microsoft or any social media accounts you really should have your 2FA turned on.
It really isn't that difficult to set up two factor authentication.
The first layer is your password.
The most common second layer of security is your smartphone.
In 2022 almost everybody owns a smartphone making it pretty straightforward to set up 2FA.
Your smartphone assists with the second layer of security in one of two ways.
A text message or call
An app on your phone
Now why is MFA or Multi-Factor Authentication becoming the standard?
Well it's quite simple really.
Multi-factor authentication essentially adds another layer of security, preventing unauthorized access to online accounts. Almost every major company now requires individuals to use multi-factor authentication, ranging from social media platforms to email services.
MFA ensures that organizations can better protect their employees' data and control access and it is slightly different than 2FA. While 2FA always uses two layers to verify a user's identity... MFA is more randomized. It could involve two of the factors or it could involve all three. “Multi-factor” just means any number of factors greater than one. So you never quite know what the layers of security will be and this randomness makes it more secure. MFA is more secure than 2FA. -- These are just a few cybersecurity trends to watch out for in 2022. Being aware of trends in the space helps users be aware of what kind of malicious hackers and malware to watch out for. It's always a good idea to be in the loop and in the know of what's happening in cybersecurity.