Online Info Blog: Three cybersecurity trends

Many Asian organizations are ill-equipped to defend their networks from cyber-attacks simply because they’ve grown complacent that attacks will not happen to them. There is a general assumption that because the organization has not experienced a breach, they are either doing the right thing, or are not a target (and therefore would continue not to be), or both. As cyber-security continues to evolve and shift, awareness has to come from within an organization, so that cyber-security is acknowledged and prioritised by employees at all levels (including those not just in IT); this will enable enterprises to truly protect themselves.

Insider threats

It’s best to assume that anyone and everything is an insider and, therefore, a potential insider threat. In the same way, everyone can also be a potential victim. This state of vigilance would serve modern enterprises far better than broken cyber-defense models centered on “keeping bad stuff out.”

Ransomware

The Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team noted a noticeable rise in ransomware infections in both Singapore and overseas. Ransomware is a type of malware that holds a victim's files, computer system or mobile device "hostage", restricting access until a ransom is paid. It spreads via malicious email attachments, infected programmes and compromised websites. Ransomware relies on the end-user paying a fee to retrieve their data or system access, and this ransom demand can range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars.

Ignoring Privacy settings

With the rise of social media and internet usage for personal and professional reasons, users seemingly sprint their way throughout the online universe without thinking about privacy settings. Individuals share much of their personal and sensitive information on their social media, and because of the easy accessibility to these personal information, attackers are able to take advantage of these information for malicious purposes.