According to a new research by Kaspersky Lab, 2015 will see emerging top threat actors that are responsible for Cyber attacks take new forms and make use of improved methods of operations to exploit people across the globe, with mobile-specific malware for Android expected to grow in the year.
The survey provides a compiled list of the top emerging threats in the Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) world, from examining about 60 threats that have been plaguing organizations, governments as well as individuals around the world.
Over time now, the company has had a dedicated department for research on malware that has seen Kaspersky shed light on some of the most prevalent and dangerous APT cyberespionage campains such as RedOctober, Flame and NetTraveler, among others that have brought down government sites and interfered with operations.
Cyber Attacks in the banking sector have always been seen to target end users in the past, but recently cybercriminals are taking up on banks directly as that is where the money is and they are using APT techniques for the attacks as they are complex. 2015 is expected to see more of these APT-style attacks in the cybercriminal world.
Other persistent threats to be expected in the the coming year will include;
New methods of data exfiltration – data exfiltration is the unlawful and unauthorised transfer of data from a computer, and with companies taking up latest technologies such as cloud, cyber attackers will now use the Cloud platform services and thus making it even harder to detect the threats.
Use of False flags – this is where cybercriminals make an attack look like it was piloted by another entity. With governments taking on a move to name cyber attackers to the public, cybercriminals are expected to exploit this government move by carefully changing tactics by planting false flags.
Kenya recently took into custody a group of about 77 chinese nationals who are being investigated and probed through court proceedings, as they are accused of having set up and operated a cyber attack centre in the country.
Targeting executives through hotel networks – most hotels, if not all provide wi-fi service for its customers through either a free service limited to a certain period of time or through a paid service depending on the customer. Kaspersky Lab discovered these latest form of threat through hotel wi-fi in a research study conducted in the year. 2015 expects to see this form of threat to individuals in hotels grow.
Fragmentation of bigger APT groups – more companies should expect to be hit in the coming year as a result of the growing number of smaller malwares, with larger companies expecting a larger group of attacks from a wider variety of sources.
Enhanced evasion techniques – cybercriminal groups are expected to invest in more measures to evade being exposed as governments across the world continue to invest largely and collaborate with security organisations to come up with cybersecurity solutions and as they continue to nub attackers.
Kaspersky Lab believes the APT world is set to evolve and become more stealthier, sneakier and harder in order to avoid exposure, but by knowing about the threats and sourcing solutions, organisations and government can ready themselves by preventing themselves or having mechanisms to deal with attacks.
The security solutions provider says it has developed and deployed various security mechanisms for its users to help deal with the threats, by first identifying the threat areas and introducing solutions for them.
2015 is expected to be the elusive year, with cyber attackers working to elude being caught and the question remains, Just how prepared are We?
