Cybersecurity Predictions for 2023

Cybercriminals are continuously spreading their wings to explore new technologies by developing new kinds of ransomware to Artificial-Intelligence-based deep fakes. Every day, cybercriminals are finding new ways to hack established systems, such as Linux. It is estimated that the percentage of successful cyber-attacks on businesses will decrease, but not any below pre-pandemic levels.

With that being said, let us have a look at some educated predictions that are likely to have biggest impact on the global networks in the coming year, making it mandatory for organizations to prepare for it.

 Extensive Use of Deep Fakes

Deep fakes use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to mimic human activities and can be used to enhance social engineering attacks. This on its own gives rise to concern due to continued commercialization of advanced applications and lowering the bar for the creation of deep fakes. This would eventually lead to real-time impersonations over voice and video applications that cybercriminals could use them to pass biometric analysis. That will ultimately create a significant challenge in securing forms of authentication like voiceprints or facial recognition.

Attack on Digital Wallets

Digital wallets are less secure than wire transfers, so they're a prime target for a cyberattack.  However, individual wallets may not equate to a big payoff; wallets by businesses are used as currency for online transactions. Consequently, more malware is likely to be designed specifically to target the stored user credentials and to empty their digital wallets.

Destructive Ransomware

Ransomware will continue to persist as a name in cyber threat due to its profitable nature. Cyber attackers generally combine ransomware with distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) with the intention to disrupt the functioning of IT security teams. Adding Wiper malware creates fuss in companies and they quickly agree to ransom demands. Such malware is dangerous because it not only wrecks data but also destroys systems and hardware. Adding destructive capabilities like Wiper malware to ransomware toolkits reduces the time taken to execute a cyber attack.

Space Threats

Since satellite-based internet access has continued to grow, FortiGuard Labs predicts new proof-of-concept (POC) threats targeting satellite networks. Organizations that rely on satellite-based connectivity to support low-latency activities like online gaming or delivering critical services to remote locations, as well as remote field offices, pipelines, or cruises and airlines is expected to be the primary targets.

Further attacks for surface expansion is expected, as organizations will continue to add satellite networks to connect previously off-grid systems, such as remote OT devices, to their interconnected networks. Attack types such as ransomware are likely to follow because of this new activity.

Esports

Today, Esports is a thriving sector known to have been generating ample amount of revenue. It is organized, multiplayer video game competitions involving professional players and teams. Due to this, they are becoming a more persuading target for malicious actors for two primary reasons.

The first reason being that constant connectivity is required in esports.

Secondly, players are interacting from inconsistently secured home networks or with open Wi-Fi access. Because Esports gaming is interactive in nature, it is also a target of social engineering lures and attacks. Thus, the growth of social engineering makes online gaming a likely and significant attack target in the upcoming years.

 Infrastructure Attacks

Apart from creating malware for themselves, attackers are also selling it online as a service. They are expanding their business for earning profits with OT-based attacks, especially as IT and OT continue to converge at an edge. The moneymaking practice of holding such systems and critical infrastructure for ransom could result in something as serious as an individual's life. For example, think of a medical centre with an ER trying to function with locked computer systems. Historically, attacks on OT systems have belonged to more specialized cyber criminals, but these capabilities are increasingly being included in attack kits available on the dark web. This makes it scalable to a much broader set of bad actors.

Target in Linux

Linux runs many back-end computing systems and has not been a primary target for cybercrime until recently. However, new malicious binaries have been detected that target Microsoft’s WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Additionally, "botnet malware" is now written for Linux platforms. This takes attacks into the core of the network and increases the risk of threats for an organization. This has implications for OT devices and supply chains that run on Linux platforms.

Thinking about Security

For those with a criminal mind-set, opportunities are abound, but a security professional is capable enough to defeat their plans by designing a holistic strategy that abandons technology repositories for an integrated system of defences. For fighting current and upcoming attacks, it is best to have a set of tools that can baseline normal operations, spot anomalies and intervene as needed.

To withstand what is ahead in 2023, finding and implementing a fast, automated and adaptive cyber security strategy is the only way forward. In Time Tec can help protect your business. Contact us today or learn more about our global cybersecurity solutions at www.intimetec.com