Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 48 | Page 56

FEATURE : CYBERSECURITY

IT IS CRUCIAL THAT ENTERPRISES STAY AWARE OF THE CYBERSECURITY TRENDS SO THAT THEY CAN BE PROACTIVE AND ACTIONABLE IN PROTECTING THEIR INFORMATION .

relay somewhere on the Internet . That being said , the targeting of individuals has proven a very successful channel and we predict the use of this vector could grow not only through espionage groups , but other threat actors looking to infiltrate organisations for their own criminal gain .
Nation states turn to hackers for hire . In 2022 , we will see an increase in the blending of cybercrime and nation-state operations . In many cases , a startup company is formed and a web of front companies or existing ‘ technology ’ companies are involved in operations that are directed and controlled by the countries ’ intelligence ministries . The initial breach with tactics and tools could be similar as ‘ regular ’ cybercrime operations , however , it is important to monitor what is happening next and act fast – companies should audit their visibility and learn from tactics and operations conducted by actors targeting their sector .
Rise of smaller affiliates . The Ransomware-as-a- Service ( RaaS ) ecosystem has evolved with the use of affiliates , the middlemen and women that work with the developers for a share of the profits . However , for a long time , RaaS admins and developers were prioritised as the top targets , often neglecting the affiliates since they were perceived as less skilled .
This , combined with the lack of disruptions in the RaaS ecosystem , will create an atmosphere where those lesser-skilled affiliates can thrive and grow into very competent cybercriminals , eventually with a mind of their own .
Game of ransomware thrones . In 2022 , these self-reliant cybercrime groups will shift the balance
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