At the start of 2021, threat actors took advantage of coronavirus-related fears, putting other people in harm’s way for their own gain. In 2022, expect threat actors to be as brazen as ever. Here are the cybersecurity threats that individuals and organizations like yours will face this year.
Cloud microservices attacks
Since businesses are increasingly utilizing cloud microservices to deploy applications, cybercriminals will follow suit and take advantage of any vulnerabilities they can find. Expect black hat hackers and their ilk to step up their attacks on cloud service providers and cloud users this year.
Misinformation campaigns
Since 2022 is a midterm election year, we can expect the internet to be rife with propaganda, fake news, and misinformation. Email inboxes and text messages will be stuffed with phishing attempts and scams in the guise of calls for political campaign donations.
Infrastructure attacks
The hacking attempt on a Florida water treatment plant could have resulted in the deaths of thousands, while the successful ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline resulted in fuel shortages in the South and the East Coast. These cyber incidents in 2021 showed how weak America’s vital infrastructures can be to cyberattacks in 2022 if vulnerabilities are left unaddressed.
Mobile malware
As the United States plays catchup with China when it comes to using mobile wallets and payment services, cybercriminals are prepared to take advantage of this shift. They've developed innocuous-looking mobile apps specifically for stealing users’ mobile banking credentials and other sensitive information. Moreover, cybercriminals have infected websites with malware so that when mobile users visit these, those users’ devices will also get infected.
Deepfake audio and video
Sound and graphics manipulation technology has become so advanced that people could be made to seem like they said or did things they didn’t say or do — something cybercriminals will weaponize in 2022. To illustrate, they can create videos of CEOs making false statements about company strategies to influence stock prices. They can also impersonate the voice of high-ranking corporate officers and convince account executives to transfer funds to the impostors’ account.
Supply chain attacks
Thanks to the contagious nature of malware such as ransomware, more and more malware campaigns will no longer be isolated to the targeted company. Rather, malware campaigns will also affect suppliers, service providers, business partners, and many others along the supply chain. Therefore, it’s in the best interest of everyone in your business circle to implement the best cybersecurity protection available.
Malicious NFTs
Non-fungible tokens or NFTs are digital files that are unreplicable, thanks to cryptography. These are likened to artworks — there may be reproductions available, but the originals hold considerably greater value. As the adoption of cryptocurrencies grows and more and more NFT marketplaces thrive, cybercriminals will also take a piece of the action. For example, they can airdrop NFTs that are actually malware designed to take over users’ accounts so that hackers can then empty their victims' crypto wallets.
Subverted penetration testing tools
Created to help companies test the effectiveness of their cybersecurity defenses, penetration testing tools are now being exploited by cybercriminals to optimize their attacks. Beyond merely checking for vulnerabilities, customized tools also deliver malware payloads. It is therefore paramount for your organization to monitor and protect your entire network, as well as keep abreast of the latest cyberthreats.
For these endeavors, rely on Healthy IT. Drop us a line today to learn more.