The 2017 attacks like Shadowpad and ExPetya, targeting major supply chains, showed how easy it can be for companies to penetrate through external software. This risk is expected to increase in 2018, with some of the world's most dangerous attackers adopting this approach as an alternative to placing threats on websites and waiting for victims to come, or because their other attempts to hack have failed.
Huan Andres Guerrero-Sadie, head of security research in Kaspersky Lab's global research and analysis team, said that the attacks on supply chains were able to "cause nightmares of anxiety as expected," adding: "Criminals will be increasingly interested in putting back doors in widespread programs. As their access to vulnerable software development companies increases. "Their attacks on supply chains will allow them to enter several companies in the targeted sectors without being noticed by security officials or security solutions."
It includes the most important threat predictions for 2018
High-level malware targeting mobile devices. During the past two years, the security community uncovered sophisticated malicious programs that, when exploited in subversive activities, constitute a powerful weapon in the face of vulnerable targets.
Destructive attacks will continue to increase. The Shamoon 2.0 and StoneDrill attacks reported earlier this year, and the ExPetr / NotPetya attack in June, revealed increased attackers ’interest in data erasure attacks.
Surveys and profiling will precede attacks to protect the attackers' critical exploit security capabilities. Attackers will spend more time reconnaissance and use classification equipment such as "BeEF" to determine the resort to low-cost, wait-based attacks.
Complex attacks will exploit the bridges connecting the operating system and the computer firmware. Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is the programming interface between firmware and the operating system in modern computers. Kaspersky Lab expects that more criminals will exploit the advanced capabilities of the Extensible Firmware Unified Interface to produce malware that will be activated before the opportunity to run any security countermeasures, or even the operating system itself.
More hacks for internet and modem routers. This area, which is known for its weakness and lack of immunization, has always been neglected and overlooked as a tool for advanced attackers, as such devices provide an important entry point for attackers that allows them to enter the network at length and without a trace.
On the other hand, Kaspersky Lab's predictions regarding threats to companies operating in the industrial and technical fields aim to help sectors that rely on strong electronic interconnectedness to understand the security challenges during the next twelve months, and prepare to address them.
The most important threat forecasts for niche sectors in 2018
Connected vehicles are likely to face new threats due to increased complexity in supply chains, leading to a scenario in which no one party is fully aware of all of the vehicle's software code, let alone already in control of it. This would make it easier for attackers to penetrate the vehicle's technologies without being detected.
Attacks targeting the penetration of private networks of health care actors, to target medical equipment and data, with the aim of extortion or causing sabotage, or worse, could rise in light of the increase in specialized medical equipment connected to computer networks.
In the financial services sector, the increased security of online payments means that criminals will turn their attention to bank account takeover attacks. Industry estimates indicate that fraud of this kind will run into billions of dollars.
Security systems in industrial facilities are likely to be exposed to increased risk from targeted attacks targeting ransomware; Operational technology systems are more fragile and vulnerable than corporate IT networks, and they are often exposed to internet risks.
Kaspersky Lab also expects to see targeted attacks targeting companies in order to install miners, to steal cryptocurrencies, and these timely attacks may become more profitable and rewarding in the long term than ransomware attacks.
Kaspersky Lab's full threat forecast report for 2018 is available on Securelist.
You can refer to Kaspersky Lab experts' predictions on advanced threats for 2017.
Comments
Post a Comment