The rise of new forms of technology is creating new threats to our privacy, financial information, and personal possessions. And hackers are ready and willing to exploit any gap they can find in any way possible. Here are three cybersecurity predictions for 2018 and beyond. Note that none of these proposals are science fiction because the technology, methodologies, and problems are already seen in various forms in the real world today.
Ransomware Infecting New Targets
Technology has enabled new forms of control over one’s vehicle. Alcoholics may have breathalyzers connected to the ignition so that they cannot drive if they are not sober. At least one auto lender has tied the ability to start one’s car to make payments so that you lose the ability to drive if your car payment is late. If you start seeing self-driving vehicles, expect to see ransomware target your mobility by demanding payment so your car can take you to work.
Your Data Used Against You
You could see hackers stealing your online financial information by going not for the Amazon account with its credit card number, but putting up fake “skills” so that when you think you’re ordering pizza, you’re sending money to someone who will never send you food. Hackers could target your financial information in other ways by asking you to verify your account information out loud when you place an order verbally, and many people would share personally identifiable information because they don’t know the system shouldn’t do that.
New Versions of Old Schemes
We’re seeing new variations of old schemes arising because weak points in the IT infrastructure are being secured. For example, big businesses are better at securing their clients’ financial data, Equifax excepted. Hackers haven’t quit trying to steal financial information from websites but have shifted to small business and non-profit websites that don’t have the same level of security.
Those earning an online MSSD degree will find that it is these small businesses and organizations who are desperate for interactive content but often cannot afford the help they need. Given the rise of intrusion detection software and automated IT security, internal threats and leaks have come back to the fore as a major source of security breaches.
We’re going to see more vetting of who is allowed to touch one’s systems. If you’ve earned an online master in software development and have a clean background check, expect demand for your skills. Training on preventing phishing attacks and identifying insider security threats is becoming the norm. Companies face the risk of lawsuits if they too aggressively monitor for insider threats and leaks, creating demand for new tools to identify it without demanding constant monitoring on and offline by employees.
2018 has a lot in store as far as cybersecurity goes. Ransomware will be more sophisticated. Your data can be used against you in a variety of ways, and insider threats and legitimately hired contractors doing work on behalf of outside threats are driving demand for more internal talent that has been thoroughly vetted.