Three New Threats to Look Out For in the Coming Year

3 New Threats to Look For

Cyber crime remains a grave concern for businesses of all sizes, as successful cyber attacks extract steep costs and sometimes result in bankruptcy and legal action.

What are some of the new threats to look out for? The following three have already made appearances and are likely to continue increasing in number, scope, and sophistication as the year unfolds:

1) Updated versions of older malware

Along with new kinds of malware, cyber criminals will deploy updated versions of existing malware strains (including different types of ransomware). One recent example comes from a phishing scam in which cyber criminals masquerade as Microsoft security, in the hopes that you’ll download a document infected with Neutrino bot malware. The code in this malware’s most recent version has apparently undergone “improvements” that give criminals greater power and control.

2) Internet of Things (IoT) devices as prime targets

Smart technologies including digital sensors, security cameras, vehicle systems, and medical devices serve as desirable targets for cyber crime. Hackers will use them to disrupt your business operations and penetrate deeper into your network to disable other systems and steal or tamper with data. They can also turn the devices into bots that launch massive coordinated attacks (such as DDoS attacks).

A number of these devices get designed and manufactured without proper consideration for cyber security; it’s essential that you choose the best ones and configure them properly.

Keep in mind that any time a new hardware or software emerges, hackers are looking for ways to exploit its weaknesses.

3) Increasingly sophisticated, authentic-looking scams

Although generic spam still exists, along with phishing emails that are sent to hundreds or thousands of people at once, we’ll also see a continuing rise in more targeted attacks, in which scammers use different kinds of personal information to appear legitimate. For example, a fake email that appears to come from your supervisor might contain authentic details scammers researched on social media, discovered from your business website, or uncovered while hacking your supervisor’s personal accounts.

Another way scammers may try to look authentic is by making a phony, possibly malware-infected website appear legitimate through the use of HTTPS and genuine-sounding domain names.

Remaining vigilant against these attacks is essential. When you contact us, we’ll work with you to anticipate, prevent, and mitigate new cyber threats, lowering the chances that your business will suffer unsustainable losses.

The post Three New Threats to Look Out For in the Coming Year appeared first on 4 Corner IT.

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