As your security experts, we are focused on keeping you up do date on what is currently happening in cybersecurity as well as upcoming trends you should be aware of. We know that security is of great importance to you personally and for your organization and we hope to provide you with information that will help you stay informed and knowledgeable to avoid security risks. We have gathered information from ESET’s latest 2019 Cyber Security Trends Report and summarized it for you below.
You can read the entire report here: https://www.eset.com/us/trends-2019/
Cryptocurrency and Coin-mining, here’s what you need to know:
Cryptocurrency is a digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank. You are likely familiar with bitcoin which is a popular form of cryptocurrency which has been featured in the news lately.
Cryptocurrency is unique in it's ability to easily transfer money digitally without a need to be converted. With this ability, comes a unique advantage for criminals to use cryptocurrency to execute coin-mining malware. Criminals require payment using cryptocurrency to unlock user’s stolen files and/or data. Using cryptocurrency is enticing to criminals because it does not leave a large footprint and can be tough to track down and tie to a real world ID.
Tips to avoid Cryptojacking in your organization:
- Keep your security software up to date.
- Install an ad blocker
- Apply patches as soon as possible
- Keep safe (offline) backups
- Practice common sense and caution when browsing online
Social Engineering Using Automation and Artificial Intelligence, here’s what you need to know:
We can all likely agree that anything that helps save us time and resources and gives us the desired results is a win. Criminals often have the same mindset and use artificial intelligence to create smart social engineering campaigns that have become quite sophisticated. As automation and the use of artificial intelligence continues to rise in all aspects of life, the same trends are seen in malware.
Artificial intelligence offers criminals the ability to deploy malware easily and oftentimes successfully without having to develop new and more complex tools. The good news: While cybercrime is very lucrative for the majority of criminals, defensive security is sufficiently complex and with the help of human brains to identify new types of malware there is often sufficient defense against cybercrime. This combined with education and awareness for users can significantly reduce malware and social engineering risks.
View our resources on social engineering and phishing here.
EU GDPR a step towards a global privacy law, here’s what you need to know:
“Simply put, the GDPR mandates a baseline set of standards for companies that handle EU citizens’ data to better safeguard the processing and movement of citizens’ personal data.” In the spring of 2018 the EU took a bold step to protect its citizens and inform them of when their data was being collected as well as giving them an opportunity to approve the use of their data.
This monumental move in data security will likely have profound effects on the rest of the world. California has already passed similar legislation and with many large corporations located in California, it is fair to assume that there will be a change in how data is used throughout the rest of the United States.
Data Privacy and the Importance in a Company’s Infrastructure
It seems to be almost every day another data breach is exposed in the news. With the rampant growth of data breaches happening it has required companies, large and small, to take a close look at how they are protecting their user’s data.
Companies like Facebook and Google found themselves under fire in 2018 for large data breaches that have brought into question how social companies with a large database of user’s personal information will keep their data safe from unauthorized hands. We expect 2019 to be a big year for discussion of how to protect user’s data and Facebook and Google will be held accountable to lead the way.
IoT attacks continuing in 2019, here’s what you need to know:
The Internet of Things (IoT) has already began to change the world as we know it. IDC, an analyst company, predicts there will be 80 billion connected devices in 2020 including, smart home pods, smart TVs, and other devices. ESET predicts that attacks from criminals on these devices will continue to keep pace with the user and device growth, as criminals continue to find ways to exploit the resources of the device and the device’s access to personal data.
A focus for many IoT vendors for 2019 will be to increase their focus on protecting personal data. Several governments have begun regulations and standards for manufacturers and consumers of devices and we expect that trend to continue into 2019.
2019 is bound to be an exciting and active year in cybersecurity. As 2018 wrapped, many users were left unsure of how their personal data was being stored and secured and companies have a long way to go in assuring that their users feel safe and protected from their date being left in the wrong hands.
Artificial intelligence will continue to be used by criminals aiding in more effective and convincing ways to distribute malware. Security companies will be left with the difficult task of staying one step ahead and educating users. The EU’s GDPR has set a unique precedence in the collection and storage of personal data and it is expected that other areas continue follow suit in 2019.
If you have any questions or concerns about your own cybersecurity or your company’s cybersecurity we are always available to help. You can contact us below, at 574.537.5811, or at letstalk@mapletronics.com.
You can continue reading ESET’s entire report on Cybersecurity Trends in 2019 here.
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