As 2018 comes to a close, it is time to look to the year ahead and the ever-evolving threat landscape in the world of cybersecurity. In this fast-paced world, it may be rather difficult to imagine what might be possible over the next few months, let alone the next year, but it is important that the major issues and trends are identified ahead of time to help companies prepare.
Here are the top four trends that all organizations should be ready for in the coming months:
- True 2FA will grow. – Two-factor authentication has finally become a part of our everyday lives, but it is still rather difficult for some to comprehend. Right now, most 2FA is based on emails, texts, and phone calls for secondary identification. These methods are definitely not the most secure, as hackers are easily able to gain access to a cell phone or account. In 2019, we expect to see a shift towards “true” 2FA, such as codes delivered by a dedicated device or even a specific mobile application like Google’s Authenticator app.
- Phishing campaigns will expand and cryptomining will take over. – Today’s cyberattacks are typically designed to make money for cybercriminals. Ransomware, such as the WannaCry virus of 2017, is steadily declining and being taken over by a new method of cyberattack called cryptomining. Instead of merely holding data hostage for a ransom payout, cryptomining employs malware that enables cybercriminals to hijack a victim’s central processing unit (CPU) power to mine for cryptocurrency. In some cases, they are able to use up to 65% of a user’s power. Phishing, another method of cyberattack, has seen a steep rise in effectiveness this past year and will continue to grow in both frequency and sneakiness.
- Data science will meet cybersecurity. – 2018 has been the year of artificial intelligence and deep neural networks. It has also been the time when the realization that big data could be used to both act in favor of cybercriminals who are plotting cyberattacks and defensive security measures. Artificial intelligence has allowed us to train computers to assist with cyberthreats, and it will continue to do so with more effectiveness and accuracy in the coming year. Additionally, this technology will allow for new and increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats, such as faked audio and video files that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.
- Internet of Things devices will continue to expand in the office. – The IoT has seen exponential growth in 2018 and will not be slowing down any time in the near future. As the Internet of Things becomes a more integral part of everyday life in the office, companies will have to be able to successfully manage these devices and the IoT ecosystem.
There will always be new ways for hackers to access private data and break into computer systems, but there are also ways for your company to protect itself – the most effective being employee training. At CertNexus, we are proud to offer our CyberSAFE training course and certification to give each employee the ability to identify common cybersecurity risks and help thwart possible data breaches. To keep up with the inevitable growth of the Internet of Things, we also offer our Certified Internet of Things Practitioner certification to give participants the knowledge and concepts that they need to effectively manage an IoT ecosystem.
For more information on all of our course and certification offerings, please contact us today – and don’t forget to ask about KNOWvember specials!
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