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Cybersecurity Prediction: Top 10 Cybersecurity Trends in 2023

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Cybersecurity Prediction: Top 10 Cybersecurity Trends in 2023

The threat landscape is continuing to expand. Sophisticated bad actors are making their moves against more specific high-value targets, With the new year around the corner, it is high time enterprises step up their game in cybersecurity.

Looking back at 2022

2022 saw a high frequency of cyber attacks and threats that left enterprises in a perpetual state of shock. There were ransomware attacks that disrupted operations and malware attacks that stole thousands of personal data records.

Here are some alarming 2022 stats (Statista)

  • There were 2.8 billion malware attacks globally in the first half of 2022.
  • Over 28% of organizations worldwide faced a major cyber attack.
  • There were 106.2 million ransomware attacks worldwide (1st quarter of 2020 to 2nd quarter of 2022).
  • Austria saw more ransomware attacks. 80% of enterprises being victims of ransomware attacks.
  • Cyber attacks are considered “very significant” to “extreme risk” by over 65% of organizations in 2022.

Top 10 CyberSecurity Trends to look out for in 2023

Trend 1: Advanced Persistent Threats attacking mail servers and satellites 

Mail servers

  • Bad actors will look to steal sensitive information from mail servers. Advanced Persistent Threats will rise.
  • Attackers will focus on a high number of non-specific victims and will look to steal sensitive information stored in digital assets.
  • Big businesses that store large sets of customer and employee data will be affected in 2023.
  • Enterprises will have to do more than just implementing default config mail servers.
  • They will have to use an encrypted mail system that is not vulnerable to the most common threats.
  • It means using a security model that relies less on trust for access, like the zero-trust security model. In this, access is on the least privilege basis. Which means limited, duty based access.

Satellite control systems 

  • Threat actors will focus on advanced network systems that consist of exploitable information. One such advanced network system is the satellite system.
  • They are responsible for information exchange daily basis. These systems make communication and many other essential functions possible.
  • Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in the newer network systems and steal information.

Trend 2: Attacks that are driven by geopolitical interest

2022’s Russian cyber attack on Ukraine is an example of the extent of cyber attacks being conducted at a geographical scale. The Russian ransomware group that goes by the name of Conti had put an entire nation in a state of shock by attacking all the organizations that offered essential services to their citizens. Even China and North Korea have deployed lethal cyber attacks on other nations. 

These attacks are carried out by state-sponsored attackers that are very selective about their targets and spend a lot of time studying their target’s vulnerabilities and loopholes in their security. 

2023 would be a year where both private and public enterprises will have to prepare themselves against these kinds of attacks that are carried out by state-sponsored attackers. They would have to take expert assistance in preparing a comprehensive incident response plan.

Trend 3: AI and ML driven attacks

The coming year will bring in new kinds of threat actors that use sophisticated attack techniques and are well-versed in multiple disciplines. They would use artificial intelligence and machine learning to perpetrate attacks. By using artificial intelligence and machine learning they would be able to figure out the vulnerabilities of an enterprise’s IT infrastructure. Then they would design malicious programs that can evolve every time an attack is carried out. These artificial intelligence and machine learning-based malicious programs would increase the propensity and complexity of an attack making it even more difficult for an enterprise to prepare a response and control damage.

In 2023, enterprises will have to use Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to fight attacks that are based on AI and ML through continuous monitoring, log collection, correlation, and response.

Trend 4: Evolved Ransomware  attacks

As organizations continue to evolve their defense against attacks such as ransomware, they deploy many measures that are more nuanced than traditional cybersecurity practices. We have seen the impact of ransomware attacks in 2022. In response to this, today’s attackers have also evolved and have started using some of the most complex methods in carrying out an attack. 

2023 will be a year where there will be increased sophistication of ransomware attacks and ransomware groups will gain more power by carrying out attacks that are complex and difficult to defend against. There will be increased exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities and enterprises will have to take the help of cybersecurity experts to improve their response capabilities against some of the most sophisticated attacks such as zero-day attacks. This applies more so to small and medium-sized organizations that don’t have the resources to prepare their response. 

They need to take assistance from experts to augment their cybersecurity posture and prepare for the ever-evolving threat landscape of the future.

Trend 5: A rise in insider threats

There will be a rise in insider threats in 2023. It would happen mainly because many organizations are unaware of the importance of cybersecurity culture and have failed to implement it. This is the main reason why many enterprises are unable to come up with a systematic and quick response at the time of an attack. 

The adoption of hybrid work models adds more to the danger through the use of vulnerable technologies to enable employees to deliver productivity in a remote setting. It is critical for organizations today to assess their current IT infrastructure for all the plausible signs of insider threats by assessing all the plausible weak points of entry and vulnerabilities in the current cybersecurity infrastructure. It can be done with the assistance of a cyber security expert.

Trend 6: Threats emerging in new immersive digital environments such as Metaverse

As the world continues to walk towards digitization, new forms of digital virtually immersive environments are emerging. Metaverse is one such platform. It blends the aspects of the real world with the digital. It utilizes the Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality to replicate the aspects of the real world for its customers. Metaverse uses complex software and hardware systems. It is critical to evaluate the possibilities of cyber risks. Cybercriminals may exploit AR and VR devices to steal Personally Identifiable Information (PII). They may hack into haptic devices, bodysuits, and headsets, controlling the actuators to cause malfunction, harming their users. 

Preventing these threats will be a challenge for enterprises in 2023. They will have to go beyond the traditional approach of cybersecurity. This means conducting a top-down vulnerability assessment of all of their software and hardware that is associated with digital environments.

Trend 7: Digitization of Supply chain and emergence of OT and IT networks

As the world moves towards the future, increased enterprises are adapting to new technologies to bolster efficiencies across different levels of their organization. For doing so they are deploying operational technologies that are an interconnected network of software and hardware that assist in controlling and monitoring equipment. 

These OT systems work in conjunction with IT systems to boost efficiency and productivity in operations at different levels. These systems are relatively new to many small and medium organizations. Therefore it is a bottleneck for them to come up with a cybersecurity framework for these OT and IT systems. Attackers know well of this and plan to infiltrate their defenses by deploying malware or malicious codes to the devices. They may use stolen security and legitimacy certificates to infect software. 2023 will witness an increase in OT and IT-based attacks.

Trend 8: Advanced malware attacks using Signals Intelligence

Modern-day attackers know that enterprises have leveled up their IT infrastructure’s cybersecurity as to the most immediate threats. Therefore, they deploy attack techniques that are quite unknown. These techniques are based on multiple disciplines and attackers spend a lot of time developing them. This makes them tough nuts to crack. 

The use of signals intelligence is going to be quite prevalent in high-level cybersecurity systems. It is the use of analysis of signals that are used by systems to communicate. Modern-day attackers use signals intelligence to measure the level of the weakness of an enterprise’s cybersecurity. Then they inject the infrastructure with malware to carry out their attack. 

In 2023 there is going to be a rise in signals intelligence-based malware attacks for which enterprises will have to take expert assistance in cybersecurity to augment their cybersecurity posture. With their help, they can deploy solutions such as Security Information and Event Management that possess better threat detection and analysis capabilities.

Trend 9: The rising cost of cybersecurity solution

The threat landscape is continuously evolving with new kinds of attackers entering the market using unknown techniques to engage in a cyber attack. And in response to this, enterprises must improve their cybersecurity to respond to the most immediate threats. However, this is not going to be an easy task in 2023, with the rise in the cost of cybersecurity solutions. Enterprises have witnessed at least a 25% rise in the prices of cybersecurity solutions 

Additionally, there is a looming problem of lack of skilled personnel in cybersecurity which disables organizations to improve their cybersecurity posture. 

Summing up all of these challenges, 2023 is going to be a tough year for enterprises across industries. They must find a way out by collaborating with experts to think of the best course of action for all of the cybersecurity needs of their organization.

Trend 10: The exploitation of e-waste and wearables

The future has brought to us a range of technology that assists us in multiple areas such as personal development, meeting our goals, and being more efficient. However, it has also left us vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The use of wearable technology such as headsets, wristbands, watches, etc. (for example -disposable smart bands given at events) has left enterprises exposed to cybersecurity risks. 

The communication channel which these devices use to transmit signals is usually unencrypted, which the attackers exploit to inject malware and access sensitive personal information. What is even more dangerous is the fact that these devices don’t have frequent software updates that allows them to be more secure. This assists attackers to make easy access to these devices. Attackers may also make use of e-waste such as laptops, mobile phones, wearables, etc. 

In 2023, there will be more such attacks, and enterprises will have to prepare themselves. Improve your cyber attack response capabilities

Fight the threats of 2023 with the cybersecurity of the future 

2023 is going to be a year full of cyber risks, challenges, and threats that you may not be prepared for. Augment the cybersecurity posture of your enterprise with SharkStriker’s range of holistic cybersecurity services. For combating the threats of tomorrow, you would need more than silo-based solutions that do not allow you to leverage all of your existing security solutions. 

You get

  • 360-degree cybersecurity posture assessment
  • SOC-as-service
  • IoT and Cloud Security assessment and augmentation
  • Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) services
  • Compliance services cover most of the statutory and regulatory compliances such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, ARAMCO, SAMA, ISO 27001, NEST, and more.
  • Human-led MDR (Managed Detection and Response)

With SharkStriker you can gain maximum ROI from all of your existing security investments with holistic white-label services, solutions, and asset-based pricing that fits your budget. Prepare your enterprise for modern, sophisticated threats. 

MDR

Complete Visibility, Continuous Monitoring
& Advanced Threat Protection with
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