To readers who were overwhelmed by the multitude of cyber attack news in 2019, be forewarned. According to Amanda Finch, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Information Security, "...the biggest attack of 2020... has almost certainly already happened". As quoted in https://www.cybersecurityintelligence.com/blog/the-biggest-cyber-attack-of-2020-has-already-happened-4698.html, Finch told Tech HQ the breach is "most likely a skeleton waiting to emerge from an unknowing organization's closet".
Cyber attack predictions from the Cyber Security Intelligence website (https://www.cybersecurityintelligence.com):
- Phishing through short message service. Hackers are likely to target people joining like-minded social media groups supporting social causes or political candidates. (With a major presidential election coming up, activists are already inundated with emails from candidates or groups, many unfamiliar. Be cautious and don't click on links if you're not sure where they're coming from.)
- Drones may be fitted with mobile hacking devices; this could be a special threat to people with portable, unprotected devices.
- As more companies deploy to clouds, attackers are more likely to target public clouds offering more data at less cost. Before contracting with a cloud vendor, security teams must evaluate the cloud's security practices.
- Botnet armies will increase as the Internet of Things and personal computing devices continue to grow in popularity.
- Operational technology networks typically rely on older infrastructure and technology and infrequently update security. High profile organizations could be targets for significant ransom threats. Expect at least one high value network to be infiltrated.
However it comes, be prepared for cyber attack headlines next year.