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6 CYBERSECURITY TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2019
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It seems like every week there’s a new high-profile data breach
that dominates cybersecurity news headlines. Sometimes, these
stories bleed into the mainstream as well.
Not surprisingly, cybersecurity news tends to focus on the
biggest breaches — i.e., those affecting major corporations and
municipalities. In fact, these cybersecurity trends can (and do) affect
anyone, with 50 percent of all attacks targeting smaller businesses
that typically lack the security expertise to defend themselves.*
Moreover, these information security breaches will only get worse
as our lives become increasingly digitized. Already, society is
dangerously reliant on hyper-connected devices — from smart TVs
to driverless cars to automated manufacturing. Each of these
technologies creates another entry point for criminals and hackers.
This quickly changing landscape makes forecasting potential
threats very difficult, even among cybersecurity news experts
who closely follow emerging developments.
In just the past few years
alone, you’ve probably
heard about the following
cyberattacks:
• WannaCryand SamSam
ransomware attacks
• Deloitte and Equifax
data breaches
• Colorado Department
of Transportation hack
• Facebook and
Cambridge
Analytica breach
*Source: https://www.inc.com/joseph-steinberg/small-businesses-beware-half-of-all-cyber-attacks-target-you.html
OVERVIEW

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FILELESS ATTACKS
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With normal phishing, malicious code is downloaded and installed on a user’s hard drive
(usually after clicking on a suspicious link). As the name suggests, fileless attacks don’t rely
on downloaded “files.” Instead, they work by hijacking a computer’s existing infrastructure
before taking over core administrative functions. Basically, the user’s machine is turned
against itself.
Because all instructions are coming from trusted programs that are already installed on
the computer, fileless attacks are hard to detect. This is what makes them so effective –
and worrisome. According to some estimates, more than 75 percent of all cyberattacks
today are classified as “fileless.”*
*Source: https://www.barkly.com/ponemon-2018-endpoint-security-statistics-trends#form

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Ransomware attacks aren’t new, but they enjoy tremendous staying power due to the genius
behind this particular type of hacking.
Ransomware targets vulnerabilities in unprotected machines (without requiring the user to
click on any links). Once a machine is compromised, malicious code is automatically downloaded
onto the user’s computer. The hacker essentially holds the machine (and data) hostage until the
victim pays a hefty “ransom” — usually via untraceable cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
The WannaCry attack of 2017 is one of the best-known examples. It exploited holes in Windows
XP, an outdated operating system originally released in 2001.*
The best way to protect yourself from ransomware attacks is to keep all of your devices and
servers updated with the latest patches, operating systems and anti-virus software.
RANSOMWARE ATTACKS
*Source: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3227906/ransomware/what-is-wannacry-ransomware-how-does-it-infect-and-who-was-responsible.html

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With falling storage prices and ever-increasing Internet speeds, cloud-based technologies
are on the rise. They’re incredibly convenient, providing access anytime, anywhere for users
around the globe.
This is precisely what makes cloud-based infrastructure so attractive to hackers. Instead
of trying to break into millions of private computers, criminals need to focus on a single,
centralized chokepoint.
Protecting yourself from cloud-based attacks is difficult since you (as a user) don’t really
control the infrastructure involved, but it’s always a good idea to:
• Keep local backups of important data.
• Use secure passwords (that you change frequently).
• Share information only with trusted platforms.
CLOUD-BASED ATTACKS

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MALICIOUS STATE ACTORS
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The United States spends more on defense than China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, France,
United Kingdom, and Japan combined, making it very difficult for potential adversaries to
beat us on the battlefield. They’d have to spend many billions to close the gap.*
For a fraction of that investment, aggressive state actors can build an army of coders to hack
into America’s critical infrastructure (e.g., power grids, defense systems and nuclear reactors).
Credible reports suggest that Russia and China have already started doing precisely that in
recent years. If true, there’s no reason to believe such attempts will diminish in the near future.
Unfortunately, there is no real protection against this type of cyber threat. Just be sure you
keep plenty of flashlights, batteries and bottled water handy.
*Source: https://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0053_defense-comparison

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Not all attacks stem from malicious intent. Sometimes, indifferent, unfeeling machines are
to blame.
For example, modern computers increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) to spot patterns
or make surprisingly accurate predictions about the future.
However, the machine learning used to train AI programs usually happens in black box
environments. This makes it difficult (if not impossible) for the architects of these programs
to understand what is happening under the hood.
When all is well, there’s nothing to worry about. When things go south, there is no way to
correct the problem — unless you turn off AI entirely. That’s assuming the AI platforms of
tomorrow even respond to the stop buttons and safeguards we put in place today.
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

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This last type of cyber threat combines the two previous ones — state actors and artificial
intelligence. The 2016 U.S. presidential election has already demonstrated the deadly potency
of this combination.
Online users were inundated with fake news that, many believed, helped sway the election.
This trend was especially pronounced on Facebook, but no corner of the Internet was
completely immune.
The technology is only getting better (or worse?), with bots able to auto-generate realistic-
looking articles in mere seconds. These articles are then amplified by fake social media
accounts that help like, share, and spread the news like wildfire.
It’s also now possible to create realistic-looking videos of events and conversations that
never happened. Against this backdrop, blackmail, extortion and character assassination are
inevitable. When guided by bad actors, artificial intelligence has the power to make anybody
believe anything.
Worst of all, there is currently zero defense against this emerging threat.
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FAKE NEWS

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As a business owner, there are common sense strategies you can implement to make
yourself less of a target.
For example, you should closely follow cybersecurity news on a regular basis. The more
you know about emerging information security trends, the better equipped you’ll be to
avoid them.
Additionally, you should:
• Stay away from public hotspots
• Contain data storage to secure devices and platforms
• Manage and update passwords often
• Use a reliable e-commerce payment solution
• Implement proper security layers within your software
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PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST
THESE CYBERSECURITY TRENDS

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