Internet Security Trends for 2022
2022 is set to be a concerning year for cyber security. It will usher in huge technological and compliance challenges to businesses around the globe. From the launch of 5G to dark web data markets to expanding GDPR red tape, companies will be forced to shift their internet security priorities to remain safe from attacks and avoid fines.
Below are the most important internet security trends to keep in mind throughout this watershed year.
Cloud Architecture Vulnerabilities
Cloud computing offers businesses greater flexibility and better security overall, but that doesn’t mean operating in the cloud comes without risk. As cloud technology expands, many naive businesses will become exposed to bad actors.
One of the biggest threats is the expansion of cloud-native app development. Developers rarely test their apps for vulnerabilities, leaving that to security and penetration testing parties. When developers build software directly into a cloud system, they risk exposing vulnerabilities that are difficult to keep track of. Even worse, unmonitored IAM policies can lead to entire cloud systems becoming exposed from just one compromised app.
Application penetration testing will become critical to prevent security issues as cloud-native apps become the norm.
Increasing Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware attacks are skyrocketing as hackers create more ground between themselves and the authorities, who just can’t seem to keep up. Attacks that involved holding data for ransom rose nearly 2000% in 2021, and the upward trend will likely continue in 2022.
Not only are ransomware attacks relatively easy to pull off, but they’ve become more lucrative too. Data markets on the dark web have opened throughout the past year, offering hackers a place to sell stolen data to malicious actors. Now, if businesses don’t comply with ransom demands, hackers can still profit from the stolen data.
Dark web monitoring can help mitigate the damage and save businesses money, even if it can’t undo a data breach.
AI and Deepfakes Pose Problems
As modern cybersecurity locks data in increasingly secure systems, hackers will take the easy way by going after those with the keys. AI and deepfakes allow malicious actors to perfectly imitate another person’s voice, face, and expressions. They use this technology to pose as managers, tricking employees into giving up passwords and other secure data.
Deepfakes were once very expensive to produce, but now a high-quality deepfake only costs about $30,000 to make—pocket change to elite hacking groups. That may be why the prevalence of deepfakes has risen over 900% since last year.
The only way to protect from deepfakes and AI imposters is to educate your staff and require sensitive data to be shared only when confirmed with a manager in person.
Vulnerability Management vs. Tech Advances
Due to the rise of hackers and cyberattacks, businesses will begin to invest less money in new technology and divert more resources to security and vulnerability management. 2022 may be a year of playing “catch up” in this regard, as technology has sped past the ability for most businesses to implement it securely.
Cybersecurity is also becoming more costly, as more intensive and more frequent testing is required to ensure vulnerabilities are discovered in a timely manner.
Companies may be forced to allocate significant resources to damage control now that successful attacks have shifted from the realm of “if” to “when.”
Data Protection Compliance Nightmares
The public has wised up to the implications of data security, and they are demanding better protection. This has resulted in legislators rapidly stepping up data security compliance measures. In the US alone, 38 states introduced more than 160 data privacy bills in 2021.
For businesses, this means red tape coming hard and fast—and with no end in sight. Staying compliant with data protection regulations will require much more time and money than ever before. Failure to comply will result in hefty fines. And don’t think you’re immune. Whistleblowers are incentivized to reveal non-compliance and data breaches, and even the most powerful companies have been stuck with crippling fines. In 2021, the EU fined Amazon nearly a billion dollars for violating the bloc’s GDPR.
Bolster Your Internet Security in 2022
Businesses will face significant hurdles regarding internet security in 2022. But this doesn’t mean that successful attacks are inevitable. Companies that stay up-to-date with data security regulations and that invest in robust vulnerability management will remain safe from hackers and fines.