As we step into the new decade, we look forward to the rising trends in technologies and innovations that will make our lives much better. However, 2020 – The Digital Transformation era will also serve opportunities for hackers to sneak into your website security, damaging your online presence. Be aware – the hacker is on a mission to steal your data! The new and evolving cybersecurity threats are posing a constant risk to the confidential assets setting the data security industry on high alert.    

Cybersecurity has been the major area of concern throughout 2019 and 2020 is all set to witness a new version of cyber-attacks with advanced technologies. The cybercriminals are set to exploit the technological trends and huntaway into your security domain.

Here are the Cybersecurity Threats that will dominate 2020:

• AI- The game Changer in Cyber Security

The dawn of Artificial Intelligence has enhanced our lives enabling our devices to understand us better. However, it also brings a huge risk of cybercriminals exploiting AI to break into your security. Cybercriminals are using this advanced technology to accelerate polymorphic malware. Constantly altering the code making it undetectable helps the hackers to bypass the security. 

Artificial Intelligence has already served cyber criminals making it much easier to trick email users. Using AI as a tool to fool email users, hackers fire a bunch of emails. AI keeps a record of emails that were opened and the mails that were ignored. The cybercriminals than tweaking the message trick the targets to open the mail, gaining access to their confidential information.

• IoT Vulnerability

It is not only mobiles or computers and laptops that are prone to a security breach but IoT enabled smart devices too are vulnerable to attacks. The rising number of IoT attacks will be the major concern as we step into the era of smart homes, smart cars, etc. The IoT advancements and implementation improves our lifestyle but also has the potential to compromise our valuable information.

Hackers are secretly sneaking into your confidential data stored by your smart devices like a smartwatch, industrial machinery, etc. through a Man-in-the-Middle attack. They intercept into the messages transmitted by these smart devices and gain access, altering the communication before it reaches the destination.

• Rise of Phishing Attack

Cybercriminals use phishing attacks to gain a foothold in corporate or government networks. Though technology advancements bring too many benefits, it comes with a security gap, which will be exploited by hackers. The cybercriminals are grabbing every opportunity to launch these threats on all platforms and break into security. 

According to a report, 2019 witnessed a huge number of government offices suffering due to phishing attacks.

Victims of phishing attacks incur unbearable losses declining market share, reputation, and consumer trust.  

1. Email Phishing Scam:  The attacker broadcasts thousands of deceitful emails and gains access to information even if the small percentage of people fall prey to the fraud. Here, they mimic the real emails with logos, signatures, typefaces similar to the validated emails.
2. Spear Phishing: This attack requires special knowledge of the organization. The cybercriminals gather details of employees sneaking into the confidential data of the projects handled by the employee.

• Leaky Clouds

The Digital Transformation era empowered the businesses to migrate their workloads to cloud technology, assuming this would keep cybercriminals at bay. Cloud technology has optimized operational procedures for businesses. However, cyber threats don’t stop here. You never know, when your website is the next target!

In 2020, with most of the business migrating to the cloud, cloud jacking will become the most prominent threat to the organizations. The cloud-computing infrastructure needs to increase its complexity to secure the businesses from attacks. Cybersecurity will play a key role while deciding the third-party cloud vendors in 2020.

• Lack of Cybersecurity Skills

With the increasing number of cybercriminals, lack of cybersecurity professionals and talent is encouraging hackers to spy on your website. The increasing number of connected technologies demand the cybersecurity knowledge and skills to protect the data associated with the devices.

Conventional access to cybersecurity training and skills is not keeping pace with the rapidly increasing attacks and complex technology landscape. Immediate efforts need to be taken to boost cybersecurity skills educating a new generation of cyber experts.

Conclusion

The year 2020, will be challenging for businesses, as the cybersecurity threats will keep increasing at a rapid pace. The technology advancements will bring new threats like IoT vulnerability and Phishing attacks. In addition, the cloud data will also be vulnerable to attacks, which might incur huge losses to the companies. To ensure a secure system to protect businesses from a security breach highly skilled and talented cyber professionals are the need of this era. Be aware – you might be trapped!

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Priyanka Chaudhari

Content Writer at ESDS Software Solutions Limited

Priyanka started her career as a computer engineer but, her passion for writing poems and articles was the main reason for her career shift. She has completed her specialization in Media and entertainment and loves presenting her thoughts on technology and life.

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