There is little doubt that the scope of technology has exploded in myriad ways in the last 20 and even 10 years. Today, our devices are interconnected, intuitive, and AI-powered. In line with these changes, the threat landscape has changed beyond recognition.
To adequately protect your network-connected devices in 2020, you need cybersecurity solutions above and beyond basic antivirus protection. While antivirus is still an essential part of a solid security strategy, these tools are more equipped to cope with known trojans and worms. They are less equipped to cope with modern, dynamic threats.
Keeping the above in mind, here we go over a couple of the emerging cybersecurity risks and a few ways to better protect your devices.
Three Emerging Threats
Weaponised Attachments
Phishing attacks, while an old threat, have changed in both their scope and approach. File attachments, such as PDFs and Word documents, have the potential to be weaponised with embedded URLs, malicious scripts, and macros. These strategies effectively turn shared documents into executable malware.
Internet of Things (IoT) Attacks
According to TechRepublic, “malware targeting Internet of Things (IoT) devices has risen to 20.2 million, up 50 percent from this time last year. This includes devices such as refrigerators, baby cameras, doorbells, and gaming consoles.”
IoT networks in both offices and private homes are at risk in line with the increased number of access points. In regard to the home environment, there are increasing reports of IoT devices being used as tools for domestic violence.
Cloud Jacking
Cloud-based computing and storage platforms are at an increased risk of attack in 2020. Security researchers have noted that cloud jacking is likely to become one of the leading threats this year and in the future.
Through tactics such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting, hackers can utilise clouds to steal data, modify files, or inject malicious scripts into third-party libraries.
Three Strategies to Secure Your Devices and Networks in 2020
VPN Encryption
Downloading a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is one of the easiest ways to add an additional layer of security to your devices or even your whole network of devices. VPNs create a private network (as the name suggests) and in the process encrypt all of your data in transmission, hiding it from any prying eyes and making it incredibly difficult for threat actors to access.
You can put a VPN on your individual devices or, to cover a whole network, such as an IoT enabled home, look into a VPN router.
Cloud Management Platforms
Traditional antivirus programs, and even some of the best anti-malware programs, are unable to effectively scan email documents for weaponised documents. One way around this is to use cloud-based management programs, such as mxHero, in conjunction with cloud storage so that you open any attachments away from the receiving device, meaning potentially malicious scripts cannot infect your mobile or PC.
Strong firewall protection
A firewall is often overlooked as a cybersecurity strategy by the average user, yet it is an absolute essential when it comes to stopping any malicious incoming or outgoing connections. Businesses should look into enterprise-level firewall solutions to ensure security on all devices operating for business purposes.
[Image – CC 0 Pixabay]
