What security researchers should prioritize in 2017? The cyber world is tainted with malware and no one should lose focus. Your goal as a regular surfer is to acknowledge the existence of infectious content and that it actually might be targeting you. Cybersecurity is one of the many values that private companies, governmental institutions and individual people have come to respect and cherish. While solving issues in your real life, you are encouraged not to underestimate the activity you initiate via your phone, computer or any other popular device. You can never foreseen an emergency: even reliable apps or services can suffer from data breaches, making your personal information available for hackers’ to exploit. Yes, cybersecurity is a delicate matter and some people might be reluctant to talk or read about it, all because they propagate a list of detrimental habits.
2017: the new dawn for ransomware viruses?
Ransomware viruses are predicted to go even bigger in 2017 and boost their profits. Before 2017 actually began, we were full of hopes and dreams that sophisticated variants won’t be produced, but several complicated projects have been concluded already. These cyber threats can choose their targets from millions of phone and computer users. In fact, Android devices began to more frequently face ransomware infections than before. In 2017, this trend might explode and people might be forced to fear for not only data they store in their computers, but in their phone devices as well.
Phishing
Relatively old phishing attacks do not seem to be budging from the leading position for malware distribution. For years and years emailing services were unknowingly creating an environment for malware distribution. Since misleading spam letters still get the job done, many hackers are crafting them with anticipation for profit. Macro scripts in Microsoft Office documents are incorporated into phishing more and more, designing a new level of opportunity for deception. Emailing service Google has now banned .js attachments in emails, since JavaScript was frequently the cause of ransomware infections. Even though hackers are finding new hoaxes to pursue, cyber security is attempted to be strengthened with such restrictions as this.
Security of routers
Routers that are supplied by Netgear have faced some setbacks, and now, this trend of finding vulnerabilities in these devices is predicted to be even more preferred. Most of these products already have complicated passwords from the start, but security experts recommend that they would be changed with other, equally complex, codes. In addition to that, you should set your router to prevent outside connections to stop hackers from gaining access to your router.
What can I do to secure myself from cyber threats?
With the deceitful hackers finding loopholes in users’ security and managing to invade, corrupt and threaten, you should be aware of a couple of tricks to reassure that your device would not be placed in jeopardy. To avoid ransomware infections: backup your data, and we mean, all of your data. Information in your phone and computer is constantly facing threats. For this reason, we hope you can appreciate backup storages that can make you immune to such viruses. Phishing can only be successfully pursued if users voluntarily open the email letter they receive. If you happen to notice that a letter of some sort looks suspicious, do not open it.
Source: malwarebytes.com.
Read "Prognosis for 2017: alarming, with a chance of cybercrime" in other languages
- Grėsminga prognozė 2017 metams: laukite nusikaltimų elektroninėje erdvėje (lt)
- 2017ì— ëŒ€í•œ 예후: 사ì´ë²„ ë²”ì£„ì˜ ê°€ëŠ¥ì„± ê²½ê³ (kr)
- Diagnóstico para 2017: alarmante, con la posibilidad de ciber crÃmenes (es)
- Prognose voor 2017: alarmerend, met een kans op cybercriminaliteit (nl)
- Prognos för 2017: oroväckande med risker för IT-kriminalitet (se)
