While we have been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on cybersecurity (such as increased vulnerability of remote work) there are other trends going on, as listed by Cyber Security Intelligence:
- Ransomware is an increasing problem. Perpetrators not only encrypt data and ask for higher ransoms, they also threaten to sell or disclose it. (Be proactive by backing up data and storing it safely off-network, so you can recover without paying ransom.)
- Phishing has gone beyond emails to social media and phone calls. Be wary of requests for personal data, login credentials or money, especially if an urgent response is requested.
- Data protection is challenging. There is little transparency about securing and processing personal information. Be careful what you post.
- Smart insecure consumer devices are expanding. in the near future as we become more dependent on the Internet of Things. They will be an attractive target for criminals and cyber risk will increase exponentially.
- Medical devices are now a subset of the Internet of Things. Researchers have identified software vulnerabilities. Individuals and product classes can be attacked. Healthcare information can be intercepted. Going forward, more attention must be paid to security.
- As vehicles have increasing amounts of computer hardware and software, and are more connected to transportation infrastructure, increasing vulnerabilities mean attacks will not just affect individuals but could cause widespread traffic disruptions.
- Smart supply chains can be disrupted.
- Currently there are an estimated 200 million IoT devices. By 2025 that is estimated to grow to over 75 billion, each with a separate software package.
As these vulnerabilities increase, organizations may not be able to keep updating. Cyber security is increasingly challenging.