Cybersecurity Threats to Watch Out for in 2017

No one has a crystal ball to predict exactly what threats will show up in the coming year. However, when it comes to cybersecurity, certain companies have a proven track record for being early identifiers of future trends in cybersecurity. Furthermore, due to the nature of technological progress, it is possible to make some informed guesses about what types of hacks, attacks, and worms we will be seeing in the news in the next 12 months. Working with a Vault Networks representative to make sure your data and infrastructure are protected can ensure you will not be the one making news for breaches of privacy or losses of information.

What were the major cybersecurity threats in 2016?

Before we can address the up and coming issues anticipated in 2017, it is worthwhile to reflect on the major players in the past year’s cybersecurity concerns. In fact, the connection between the past and future is very clear; for example, the smartphone and banking attacks are expected to morph to ‘Internet of things’ attacks, in response to strong responses from the security community.

•   Dyn DDoS attack. This distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) started on the morning of October 21, and targeted Dyn, Inc.’s domain name service (DNS), leading to problems for sites including Twitter, Etsy, and Spotify. While the attack was handled by the end of the day, it revealed critical issues in cybersecurity far beyond Dyn, Inc.’s walls.
•   Attacks for financial benefit.  Whether it was banking hacks or ransomware, 2016 had more cybercrimes for profit than any prior year. Even email companies (such as Yahoo) found that over a billion user accounts had been compromised.
•   Hacktivism. Not for the first time, but on a much larger scale, in the past year we have seen much more political motivation behind various cybersecurity threats. The US election, the Anonymous Group, and WikiLeaks have all been prominent themes in the news this year for the increased frequency and sophistication of attacks.

What major issues are anticipated in 2017 and beyond?

Not unexpectedly, cybersecurity threats tend to concentrate on the newest types of technology, as these have the least experienced users and the fewest companies already invested in their protection. As each type of new advancement gains defenses, the attacks do not simply disappear; instead, those attacks shift to similar products or alter their attack enough to evade the security measure. Thus, while some of the issues expected in 2017 are entirely new, still others are expansions or changes to previous threats.

•   Dronejackings. As more and more companies find uses for drones in the market and public service sector, these small conveniences are expected to become a major privacy hassle. Consumer and commercial drones alike generally lack sophisticated cybersecurity, and can easily be hijacked. Or, the owner’s targeting and deployment software itself could be hacked via malware to redirect shipments.
•   IoT attacks. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been a buzzword for some time now, comprising household items that are connected via Internet services, often controlled through cell phone apps in order to improve home expediency. As with any new technology, there are far more exploitable gaps in security than there are extant defensive options. The risks can range from the spurious to the serious, as with…
•   Changes to ransomware. Imagine if you were unable to unlock your car because it was being held for digital ransom. This is precisely the type of attack experts are predicting as the rise in the ubiquity of IoT-connected items collides head on with new applications of ransomware.
•   Cloud-based attacks. Cloud-based computing has been portrayed as safe and stable, impervious to regular data hacks or loss. However, over the course of the next year as trust continues to grow, more and more sensitive data will be stored in the cloud, painting a rather tempting target. Out of date authentication systems are already a weak link in cloud computing, and breaches are expected to result.

Speak with a Vault Networks professional today about whether your cyber security is doing enough to protect you against these new issues

No system connected to the internet is ever wholly impregnable. But, with professional help and conscientious effort, prudent steps can be taken to avert negative consequences and reduce repercussions from cybersecurity attacks. A helpful cybersecurity expert at Vault Networks is standing by to help you develop a plan of protection against these and other potential cyberattacks.