Cyber criminals also work from the home office - in any case, the attacks are not decreasing, but are even increasing. Companies have to adapt to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. G DATA CyberDefense explains the IT security trends for 2021.
What is the difference between Corona and IT security in 2021? While the number of sick people is falling and normality is returning due to effective vaccines, the number of cyber attacks will continue to rise in the coming year. Various reasons are responsible for this development.
"The Corona crisis made it clear to us that a secure IT infrastructure is as vital as the supply of electricity or water," says Andreas Lüning, co-founder and board member of G DATA CyberDefense. “Unfortunately, cyber criminals are also taking advantage of the current digitalisation boost and will intensify their attack efforts in the future. They also use automated attacks to infiltrate networks. Anyone who does not invest in IT security now is simply wasting their digitization dividend. "
Complex cyber attacks with malware-as-a-service
Criminal hackers are always looking for new tricks to hijack networks, PCs or mobile devices. They are increasingly using malware suites that combine different types of malware such as keyloggers, information stealers and ransomware. The attackers don't even have to develop the software themselves, they simply assemble the individual parts. They acquire the building blocks for this as malware-as-a-service in underground forums. An existing trend finds its logical continuation in this process. Users who fall victim to such an attack lose their digital identity in one fell swoop. Because the attackers continue to use the login data or sell them themselves on the Darknet. And even if victims paid a ransom to prevent their personal information from being published, this is no guarantee that the information will not be published anyway.
Rip off on the smartphone
A rethink is required in the area of mobile security. In the coming year, companies will experience cyber attacks on employees' smartphones, because they are no longer used only for communication. Thanks to home office, the business cell phone has gained greater importance - beyond the pure means of communication: as part of the security architecture with two-factor authentication. However, many companies have not yet thought the strategy through to the end. Many people in charge still have to clarify what happens if employees lock themselves out of the two-factor process, for example if the device is stolen or lost. Basically, they have to find new ways for on- and offboarding in Corona times and beyond. Here it is important to find a good mix of security and usability. Only then do modern security procedures bring added value for companies and employees.
In the crosshairs: medium-sized companies
The number of attacks on small and medium-sized businesses will increase significantly. These still believe that their networks and websites are safe because they are not worth hacking. This is a misconception, however, because criminal hackers have understood that these companies also offer them the opportunity to make quick money. Small and medium-sized companies in particular should deal more intensively with the topic of IT security. In addition, in increasingly networked supply chains, they offer a loophole in cyber defense to infiltrate larger companies. What many companies are not aware of: Today, attacks are increasingly taking place in a fully automated manner - for example when a new vulnerability is published. A company doesn't have to be particularly 'interesting' to be infected in the end. Thanks to the increasing division of labor among criminal groups, some take over the initial infection and then sell the access on to other groups. This then plays ransomware, for example, to refinance the investment.
More about this in the news at GData.de
About G Data With comprehensive cyber defense services, the inventor of the anti-virus enables companies to defend themselves against cybercrime. Over 500 employees ensure the digital security of companies and users. Made in Germany: With over 30 years of expertise in malware analysis, G DATA conducts research and software development exclusively in Germany. The highest standards of data protection are paramount. In 2011, G DATA issued a “no backdoor” guarantee with the “IT Security Made in Germany” seal of trust from TeleTrust eV. G DATA offers a portfolio from anti-virus and endpoint protection to penetration tests and incident response to forensic analyzes, security status checks and cyber awareness training to defend companies effectively. New technologies such as DeepRay use artificial intelligence to protect against malware. Service and support are part of the G DATA campus in Bochum. G DATA solutions are available in 90 countries and have received numerous awards.