Security issues were a top concern for many organizations during 2017, with Russian hackers, high-impact ransomware attacks, and major data breaches dominating the headlines. As retailers prepare for the challenges of the new year, it might be a good idea to think about possible risks and security failures that are likely to arise in 2018. Luckily, the Chertoff Group, a risk management and security advisory firm, has recently released its predictions for the top six security risks in 2018. Adam Isles, principal at The Chertoff Group, shared his thoughts:
Expansion of Internet of Things as a Threat Vector – Millions of unsecure, Internet-enabled devices provide new threat vectors. Given the rapid proliferation of Internet of Things devices in advance of IoT-oriented security standards and configuration practices, expect these devices to be increasingly used as weapons for DDoS and other attacks.
Evolution in Nation-State Activity Tradecraft – State actors are increasingly relying on capabilities – people and technology – with roots in organized crime. Certain governments will continue to expand their cyber operations, both cyber attacks and information warfare, but will do so by leveraging crime-related capabilities, which can complicate attribution.
Increased Use of Software Subversion to Bypass Security Controls – Hijacking of trusted software and updates will continue to be an attractive target. As seen during the 2017 MeDoc and CCleaner incidents, adversaries are using third-party software as a viable new entry vector for malware.
Advances in Identity Subversion as a Tactic – Malicious actors will continue to seek new ways of subverting identity as an end-run around cyber and fraud defenses.
Increase in Third-Party Risk: Cloud Service Providers – Organizations continue to struggle with the one of the weakest links in their technology environment – access between the organization in question and its 3rd party partners, in particular cloud service providers. Successful configuration management, system hardening, access management, etc. are all critical elements to a secure cloud strategy in 2018.
Increase in Disruptive and Destructive Attacks Targeting Industrial Control Systems – The past decade has been punctuated with incidents targeting industrial control systems (ICS). Reference: Stuxnet, a 2014 attack that disrupted a German steel mill, a 2015 attack targeting Ukraine electric utilities, plus numerous other reconnaissance events. These attacks are expected to continue in 2018.