Five trends that will change the global cybersecurity landscape
Due to rapid developments in both safe and harmful technology, cybersecurity is among the most volatile industries. However, we can still identify certain trends affecting the industry. From passwordless solutions broadly available to consumers to the first real-life cases of automotive hacking, all of these are likely to shape the cybersecurity landscape in 2023, NordPass experts say.
“It’s often a zero-sum game in cybersecurity: with bad guys constantly on the lookout for new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in the digital space, the good guys work as fast to provide and support safety solutions against new threats,” says Karolis Arbaciauskas, the head of business development of NordPass. “To build future-proof technologies or simply be a step ahead of awaiting challenges, companies and individuals should always be aware of what’s currently happening.”
Passwords will be put out to pasture — but just not yet
2022 marks the year when the passwordless future idea experienced its first big wins, and 2023 is expected to be even more fruitful. Many progressive companies are likely to adopt the new passkeys technology, supported by the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance.
Tech giants such as Microsoft, Apple, and Google have already announced their commitment to delivering passwordless logins and even introduced their first efforts to consumers. However, the complete switch from passwords won’t happen overnight. The transition period depends on how fast other online businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, implement technologies such as passkeys and make them available to internet users.
For some time, we use both passwords and passkeys, and users should still practice password hygiene. Unfortunately, the latest research by NordPass reveals little hope that people will finally learn to take care of their online accounts. Eighty-three percent of the 200 most common passwords used in 2022 were the same as in 2021. To illustrate how poor those passwords are — the word “password” is currently the world’s most popular password.
We will observe the first serious cases of automotive hacking
Cars have become a part of the Internet of Things (IoT). Each year, the vehicles rolling out of the factory are increasingly more digitized and reliant on the internet and other virtual technologies. But whereas someone hacking into your smart home camera is creepy and a massive invasion of privacy, a hacked vehicle can cause a life-threatening situation. With the latest technological advances, a hacker will be able to control your vehicle , see trip history, and even remotely steal your car.
Cybercriminals will set their sights on businesses
Cybercriminals seem to have found a gold mine — instead of targeting individual accounts, they are now prone to hacking businesses. Experts expect to see more attacks on businesses in the upcoming year. In the case of a breach, companies generously pay hackers to get their accounts or data back and prevent information about the security incident going public.
While a data breach would tremendously damage a company’s reputation, it is not the worst that can happen to the organization. A single attack can paralyze the company’s functioning and even lead to its closure.
Hackers will make better use of geo-targeted phishing
While many businesses do not precisely understand how to avoid phishing attacks, this situation may get worse. Geo-targeted phishing, a big new trend in cybersecurity, is likely to fool many internet users. The local language, a relatable context, or even brand voice are now commonly used to draft compelling messages that convince company employees and invite them to take action (i.e., open the harmful link).
According to an IBM report, in 2022, phishing attacks caused 16% of all data breaches — they are the second most common and the costliest (with an average of USD 4.91 million) type of breach.
Healthcare and education industries must watch out for cyberattacks
With increasing compliance requirements and the speedy development of technologies in the field of cybersecurity, some industries need help to catch up. Due to outdated systems and insufficient budgets to fix them, organizations in the healthcare and education fields are likely to fall victim to cybercriminals. Moreover, the sensitive data these industries work with make them even more attractive to hackers.
ABOUT NORDPASS
NordPass is a password manager for both business and consumer clients. It’s powered by the latest technology for the utmost security. Developed with affordability, simplicity, and ease of use in mind, NordPass allows users to access passwords securely on desktop, mobile, and browsers. All passwords are encrypted on the device, so only the user can access them. NordPass was created by the experts behind NordVPN — the advanced security and privacy app trusted by more than 14 million customers worldwide. For more information: nordpass.com.
