The year 2020 was very eventful - also in terms of cyber security. In the recently published report "Cyber Security Predictions 2021" Take a look back at leading security experts from FireEye and Mandiant and describe what should be top priority in 2021. Here are some statements on the most important cyber security trends in 2021.
Ransomware
“Ransomware will continue to explode in 2021. I think we will see more ransomware-as-a-service, which will be used to blackmail and damage our reputation. " General Earl Matthews, VP of Strategy, Client Security Validation
“The number of ransomware attacks is increasing continuously and we are seeing more and more devastating attacks and blackmail attempts. Ransomware has now become a national security issue - for the United States and for countries around the world. We have observed that groups of hackers use “post-compromise” activities to spy on systems and the internal network in order to encrypt the most valuable and sensitive data and paralyze critical infrastructures. The aim is to obtain higher ransom money. "
“We advise companies to check how well prepared they are - for example, whether they have made sure that networks are segmented, or whether they have a contingency plan that their management team has practiced. This also includes the questions: Do you have backups and the possibility of accessing backed up data? " Sandra Joyce, EVP, Client Threat Intelligence
COVID-19 and the vaccine in 2021
“We are seeing numerous biotech companies working on a vaccine for COVID-19 being increasingly targeted by many different hackers. This includes actors who are normally not interested in intellectual property. There are probably some groups of hackers active here who usually keep a low profile. That won't stop even after the COVID-19 pandemic. ”- John Hultquist, Senior Director of Analysis, Client Threat Intelligence
Hacking activity in the US after the election year
“It doesn't matter who won. We assume that hacker groups want to watch and spy on those in power. The new generation of political leaders should expect a flood of spear phishing emails from states seeking to position themselves on their network to understand, among other things, impending political changes. ”- Sandra Joyce, EPP, Mandiant Threat Intelligence
Home office and security budget
“In terms of budget priorities, we suspect that we will see continued growth in perimeter security spending as many employees work from home. We are also concerned with the question of what the next generation of Identity & Access Management solutions will look like. Hackers look for vulnerabilities, especially in users with extended rights, so that they can also use them. " General Earl Matthews, VP of Strategy, Client Security Validation
Find out more at FireEye.com
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