Cybersecurity trends and predictions for 2021

With 2020 nearing its much-anticipated end, it’s the time for experts and pundits to prognosticate about the future of their industries in 2021. For better or worse, cybersecurity is no different.

So, with that in mind, what is the landscape for cybersecurity and the evolution of threats in 2021?  We have put together a list of the 5 top cybersecurity trends that both industry insiders and average users should be aware of.

#1 Ransomware attacks on the rise
2020 is ending with an unprecedented surge of ransomware attacks that hit prominent organizations across the world. 

In 2021, most of the attacks will exploit known vulnerabilities in targeted systems in order to gain access to the target networks and manually deploy the ransomware. In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of organizations will allow its employees to remotely access their resources, thus enlarging their surface of attacks. Unpatched systems and poorly protected access points will allow threat actors to compromise a large number of companies.

#2 IoT devices, the Achilles’ heel of the global networks
In 2021, the increased demand for internet-of-things (IoT) solutions will be also driven by the adoption of connected healthcare devices, smart offices, and remote asset monitoring. The COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of 5G networks will be driving businesses to become ever more reliant on IoT technology. 

#3 Crimeware-as-a-service, the winning model
The Crimeware-as-a-Service (CaaS) will continue to enable both technically inexperienced criminals and advanced threat actors to rapidly arrange sophisticated attacks.

Advanced threat actors will adopt these services to make attack attribution difficult and to rapidly arrange hit-and-run operations. In the next months, major botnet operations offered implementing this model, such as Emotet and Trickbot, will be the root cause of infections on a global scale.

#4 AI-based attacks, a dangerous threat
A growing number of attacks will benefit from the adoption of Artificial Intelligence to carry out malicious activity. In 2021, the introduction of AI-based platforms for attack purposes will allow threat actors to improve the efficiency of their operations by simulating the response of the targets and attempting to elude them in real-time. 

#5 State-sponsored hacking, a threat to state sovereignty
The ongoing pandemic and escalating tensions mean that nation states will be increasingly active in cyberspace next year. In 2021, there will be a significant increase in cyber espionage campaigns carried out by state-sponsored hackers.

State-sponsored attackers aim at gathering intelligence on strategic Intellectual Property, which can give their governments a technological and economical advantage in the post COVID-19 world.

Conclusion
Both nation-state actors and cybercrime organizations will intensify their activity in cyberspace in 2021. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will offer them new opportunities to target businesses, government organizations, and citizens worldwide.

We are in the middle of a perfect storm. For this reason, a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity and the involvement of private and government stakeholders is necessary to prevent cyberattacks from having even more dramatic consequences next year.

Full article on https://cybernews.com/security/cybersecurity-trends-and-predictions-for-2021/

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