Cybersecurity specialist Bitdefender publishes business report on the threat landscape 2020: Almost two thirds of the vulnerabilities could have been patched long ago.
Unpatched vulnerabilities, obfuscation tactics and APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats): The Bitdefender business report on the current threat situation describes the challenges that organizations must face. These include, firstly, mass attacks on older vulnerabilities for which patches are already available, secondly, the increase in obfuscation tactics that require additional detection mechanisms, and thirdly, the implementation of the “APT-Hacker-for-hire” business model.
Corona has shifted the world of work
Liviu Arsene, Global Cybersecurity Researcher at Bitdefender, comments on the results: “When it comes to IT security, companies have to adapt to a new normal. With the corona pandemic, the world of work was relocated from the office to your own four walls. This opens up a new attack vector for attackers and leads to significant changes in the threat landscape. Misconfigurations of the infrastructure and unpatched vulnerabilities are now taking revenge. "
There are patches for 64 percent of the vulnerabilities
And there are many vulnerabilities: Telemetry data from Bitdefender business customers show that 64 percent of all reported unpatched vulnerabilities concern those that were first discovered before 2018. Companies thus offer cybercriminals an unnecessarily large target area. Arsene: “In 2020, the focus was primarily on spear phishing emails related to corona. In the coming year, the spotlight will primarily be on unpatched vulnerabilities. Companies that do not use a patch management solution that examines the employees' computers for unpatched vulnerabilities expose themselves to serious dangers. "
PowerShell attacks account for 53 percent
Using PowerShell commands and scripts remains the preferred technique that hackers use during the execution phase of attacks, at 53 percent. The advantage for attackers is that they fly unobserved under the radar of conventional security solutions. Companies should check their security architecture to see whether it includes protection against malware as well as reliable protection against such threats.
Hacker mercenaries use APTs against companies
One of the biggest changes within the threat landscape is the appearance of APT hackers who offer their services commercially (“APT hackers for hire”). This is forcing companies of all sizes and in all industries to review their defense strategies. While sophisticated APT attacks have so far been directed primarily against authorities, large companies and special industries, this form of cyber crime now poses a threat to all organizations.
Bitdefender's detailed 25-page Business Threat Landscape Report 2020 is available online free of charge.
Go to the report on Bitdefender.com
About Bitdefender Bitdefender is a leading global provider of cybersecurity solutions and antivirus software, protecting over 500 million systems in more than 150 countries. Since it was founded in 2001, the company's innovations have consistently ensured excellent security products and intelligent protection for devices, networks and cloud services for private customers and companies. As the supplier of choice, Bitdefender technology is found in 38 percent of security solutions deployed around the world and is trusted and recognized by industry experts, manufacturers and customers alike. www.bitdefender.de