The digital age has brought about a reliance on computer systems for managing daily activities in businesses, corporations, organizations, and even governments.
As a result, cybersecurity has become a primary concern to protect data from online attacks and unauthorized access. With technology constantly evolving, so too do cybersecurity trends.
In 2023, we can expect to see the following trends take center stage: the increasing use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance security, the growing importance of cloud security, the continued rise of ransomware and phishing attacks, and the need for greater security in the Internet of Things (IoT).
Cybersecurity Trends
The pandemic that broke out in 2020 also made cyberthreats grow, both in scale and technique, because more and more people depend on technology for their activities.
Here are 10 trends to pay attention to if you have an interest in cybersecurity.
1. Cloud Treaths
Cloud technology is increasingly being adopted by companies, institutions, and business owners. These technologies allow people to access devices, collaborate on work, send messages, and store data without relying on physical infrastructure.
The cloud also improves efficiency and helps companies save costs.
Impact? Cloud technology can be an easy target for cybercriminals, especially those who can find loopholes. They can take advantage of personal data, steal important documents and data, and sabotage company or institutional activities.
2. Ransomware
Ransomware crimes involve stealing personal data or important documents to be used as blackmail material. These attacks usually take the form of intrusions via links or illegal programs and applications. The perpetrator then stole personal data and used it for extortion.
The method? The perpetrator can ask for money before returning the victim’s essential data. They can also threaten to share personal documents or block the victim’s critical access. This crime will only increase as more and more people rely on technology to do things.
3. Security for Remote Work Systems
Remote work systems have increasingly become a trend during the pandemic and show no signs of slowing down. This makes the cybersecurity challenge even more remarkable.
You must deal with various risks, including access security, cloud, personal data, and data transfer. Remote workers risk being targeted by phishing and ransomware via email, text messages, and applications.
4. New Application and Device Security
Digital trends make new applications and devices appear. Cybersecurity experts also have to keep racking their brains to face new challenges arising from every security risk, especially if the technology is new or experimental. There are plenty of jobs if you want to pursue a career in cybersecurity.
5. Increasing Need for Personal Data Security
Personal data security is increasingly a concern, even among ordinary technology users. Consumers of various products and services are also increasingly demanding personal data security.
Legal aspects regarding protecting personal data are also increasingly varied and stringent over time. Future cybersecurity experts should pay more and more attention to this in their careers.
6. Phising
94 percent of malware, according to an Acronis report, is sent via email using social engineering technologies to trick users into opening malicious attachments or links.
Phishing itself had held the top spot for cyberattacks even before the pandemic. In 2021 alone, Acronis reported 23 percent more blocked phishing emails and 40 percent more malware emails in Q3 compared to Q2 of the same year.
7. Phishers switch to messenger
Targeting OAuth and multi-factor authenticator (MFA) tools is now the new trick for cybercriminals to take over accounts. To bypass standard anti-phishing tools, they will use text messages, Slack, Teams chat, and other tools for attacks such as business email compromise (BEC).
One recent example is the infamous hijacking of the FBI’s email service, which cyberattackers compromised and started sending spam emails in November 2021.
8. Cryptocurrency is the main target
Info stealers and malware that exchange digital wallet addresses are becoming a reality today. Acronis also predicts a more powerful attack of this kind directly launched against intelligent contracts in 2022, attacking the core programs of cryptocurrencies.
Cyberattacks are also predicted by Acronis to occur more frequently in web 3.0 applications. Many new sophisticated attacks, such as flash loan attacks, will allow attackers to drain millions of dollars from a collection of cryptocurrencies.
9. Potential of Artificial Intelligence
The potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity is significant. With its integration into various market segments, AI and machine learning have brought about significant changes in the field.
AI is being utilized to create automated security systems, natural language processing, face detection, and automatic threat detection.
However, it is also being used by attackers to create sophisticated malware and bypass security protocols to access sensitive data.
On the other hand, AI-enabled threat detection systems can predict new attacks and instantly notify administrators of any data breaches, making it a powerful tool for protecting against cyber threats.
10. IoT with 5G Networks
The advent and expansion of 5G networks will bring a new level of interconnectivity through the Internet of Things (IoT). However, this increased communication between devices also opens them up to vulnerabilities from outside influences, attacks, and unknown software bugs. E
ven popular browsers like Google Chrome have been found to have serious security flaws. The 5G architecture is relatively new and requires extensive research to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities to prevent external attacks.
Manufacturers will need to be diligent in developing sophisticated 5G hardware and software to prevent data breaches.
As the 5G network develops, there may be a range of network attacks that are currently unknown, highlighting the importance of robust security measures in the design and implementation of 5G networks.
Cybersecurity Trends Based on Data
Overall, the Acronis report notes that 2021 was the worst year regarding cybersecurity. This is not only related to organizations but also to many countries, including Indonesia.
Despite best efforts, a recent Acronis survey shows that many parties in Indonesia still need to start using cyber protection tools to prevent attacks.
Malware attacks themselves remain a global phenomenon that must be fought by every country. Reviewing the research’s normalized malware detection, countries such as Taiwan, Singapore, China, and Brazil have a detection rate of over 50 percent.
This type of ransomware attack is clearly increasing in the APAC region. the high malware detection rate indicates that these countries have paid more attention to cyber protection by increasing their detection capabilities.