New online threats emerge every day, many of them with the main aim of stealing company data or simply disrupting operations. It is more essential than ever that companies, regardless of their sector and size, invest in cybersecurity and follow good practices every day to prevent cyber attacks.

According to the "2017 Cyber Threatscape Report" study carried out by iDefense, an increase in ransomware attacks was observed throughout this year. Although it is impossible to guarantee protection against cyber attacks, since new forms of attack appear every second, there are immediate actions organisations can take to protect themselves against ransomware and reduce the impact when an attack happens.

Main cyber threats to businesses in 2018:

• 1. Encryption and other tactics

  In 2018, an increase is expected in the use of tactics such as anti-analysis code, steganography (a specific type of cryptography) and disposable command and control (C2) servers used to conceal stolen data.

• 2 - Phishing

  Some tactics for stealing users' personal information will continue to be used, such as emails with infected PDFs posing as invoices, CVs, bank transfers or overdue payments, for example, but in 2018 ransomware is expected to increase the use of banking trojans through phishing techniques.

• 3 - Alternative cryptocurrencies

  Bitcoin remains the most widely used currency in cybercrime; however, several additional measures have been created to conceal bitcoin transactions, such as bitcoin laundering techniques and the adoption of alternative cryptocurrencies.

• 4 - Ransomware on non-Windows platforms

  New variants of ransomware are expected to emerge targeting non-Windows platforms, such as Linux and OSX, as well as mobile platforms such as iOS and Android.

• 5 - Ransomware in IoT

  The rapid adoption of IoT (Internet of Things) devices is leading to more and more botnets being created to attack these devices, and more attacks of this kind are expected in 2018.

How can I keep my company safe?

To prevent your company from being targeted by cyber attacks, you should follow good cybersecurity practices and invest in training your company's employees. Being able to recognise phishing schemes is the best way to stop them spreading and prevent the theft of your company's critical data. In addition, you should make sure that all files attached to emails are filtered and analysed for security.

To avoid paying ransoms in the event of a cyber attack, you should also invest in a robust cyber attack resilience plan that is regularly reviewed, updated and tested. Investing in a system that makes automatic backups, such as SkySafe, for example, is essential to ensure that no information is lost, even in the event of an attack.

Written by:
Openlimits

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