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// TECH TRENDS // storage , infrastructure and workloads to survive . Mid-size , large and global enterprises will look to leverage multiple cloud providers to meet a range of requirements and utilising an approach focused on increased efficiency , agility and security , businesses can be better-equipped for this inevitably multi-cloud focused future .
Phishing
Our results have suggested that messaging and video conferencing platforms will become the catalysts for the next wave of phishing attacks . Spear phishing attacks have steadily been on the rise as a result of COVID-19 and affected many businesses worldwide .
As organisations continue to work remotely and rely on video conferencing and messaging platforms for daily correspondence among team members , cybercriminals will likely creatively leverage the range of ways we connect in a remote world . From video conferencing platforms to messaging apps , these channels keep us virtually connected to our colleagues but leave substantial room for cyberattacks .
Throughout 2021 as we grow accustomed to communicating digitally in real time , we will see a rise in cybercriminals utilising employee accounts to conduct phishing attacks , potentially even including spear phishing by video ( e . g . using ‘ deep fake ’
technology ) and spear phishing on third-party messaging platforms ( often through hackers weaponising webhooks ).
Prevention for this new , opportunistic wave of phishing will need to go beyond training . Organisations of all sizes should plan by requiring multi-factor authentication ( MFA ) wherever possible as well as ensuring they leave zero standing administrative privileges .
MFA is designed to create more certainty that the person using the username and password is who they claim to be based on something they know ( such as a password or PIN ), something they have ( such as a smartphone or hardware key ), or something they are ( such as biometrics including Face ID or a fingerprint scan ).
Ransomware
Ransomware incidents will triple – and data exfiltration will overtake encryption as the attackers ’ end game . Since the beginning of 2020 , research has shown that ransomware attacks are rapidly increasing . It is likely that ransomware variants will continue to evolve into more sophisticated threats .
These statistics illustrate a persistent onslaught of threat actors that could indicate 2021 will be our most challenging year yet in combating ransomware in the enterprise .
Andy Heather VP , Centrify
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RANSOMWARE INCIDENTS WILL TRIPLE – AND DATA EXFILTRATION WILL OVERTAKE ENCRYPTION AS THE ATTACKERS ’ END GAME .
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