The world of cybercrime never stands still and as we start a new year, we wanted to take a look at some of the new threats that are emerging that could threaten your online safety.
Artificial Intelligence-Enhanced Attacks
Artificial Intelligence was a hot topic throughout last year and that’s not likely to change in 2024. Cybercriminals are as excited about the advances in AI and machine learning as anyone else and quickly integrating these technological advances into their attacks.
There are plenty of new threats to watch out for. These include the use of AI generated images, videos and audio clips in phishing attacks or social engineering emails. Such attacks will become even harder to identify due to the use of natural language processing (NLP), with its ability to understand the nuances of human language and craft messages accordingly.
Additionally, machine learning will give cybercriminals an added tool to identify and exploit software vulnerabilities while AI driven malware will be able to adapt to security measures in real-time.
Quantum computing
Quantum computing might still be a new frontier but there’s no doubt it has the potential to break the encryption which is protecting our data. This will make it easier for cybercriminals to steal both personal and corporate information or disrupt critical infrastructure.
Internet of Things (IoT) Vulnerabilities
As the number of devices connected to the internet increases so do the possible entry points for cybercriminals. Smart home devices, medical devices, industrial machinery and cars are being connected to the internet and frequently operate over public internet. All have vulnerabilities which can be attacked.
Data poisoning
Our world is increasingly built and reliant on data which is used by Machine Learning models to produce decisions across Governments and industries. Introducing malicious data into datasets has the clear potential to affect the outcomes produced by Machine Learning.
Ransomware 4.0
If you think ransomware is sophisticated now, wait until Ransomware 4.0 becomes prevalent. By using AI and other technologies cybercriminals will be better able to avoid detection and block recovery efforts. This ability to avoid detection is a real challenge to cybersecurity.
Staying Safe
As technology advances, so do the potential threats. This has been a reality throughout history. Being informed and aware is the first line of defence. Being vigilant when dealing with unexpected emails and just reminding yourself not to react to any messages that require urgent action remain key to staying safe. It’s also important to check the security we have in place across all our devices, not just our computers and mobiles, and ensure we keep this up to date.
