Cyber offensives scheduled to disrupt your daily routines in 2016
As we step into the New Year, the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, presenting new challenges and threats to individuals, companies, and political campaigns. Here's a rundown of some of the key areas of concern, based on insights from Stephen Newman, CTO of Damballa.
Nuclear Exploit Kit Remains a Threat
First on the list is the Nuclear exploit kit, a malicious tool that has been in circulation since 2011. Despite its age, it remains one of the most successful exploit kits, continuing to be used by attackers to infect small websites and spread malware.
Presidential Campaigns and Cybersecurity
With each presidential campaign, more of the candidates' personal information becomes available online, making them potential targets for hacking. The specific digital technologies that will impact future presidential campaigns are uncertain, but it's likely that at least one candidate will be hacked, as was the case in 2016.
Fantasy Sports and Cyber Threats
In the realm of fantasy sports, Americans are estimated to spend around $15 billion in 2016, with approximately 32 million participants. Hackers are expected to target leading fantasy sports sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, aiming to steal customer data or manipulate results for financial gain. In 2016, a vulnerability was discovered in Yahoo's Fantasy Football mobile app, which, if exploited, could allow attackers to change team lineups and post imposter comments.
Connected Cars and Cyber Threats
The rise of connected cars also presents new opportunities for hackers. In July 2015, software engineers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek demonstrated a zero-day vulnerability that allowed them to remotely control a Jeep Cherokee's dashboard functions, steering, brakes, and transmission. It's expected that automobile manufacturers will face more proof-of-concept scenarios and attempts to target major transport manufacturers in the coming year.
Cyber Threats in the Financial Sector
It's uncertain if hacking activities will occur in the realm of financial trading instead of fantasy sports, but it's worth noting that in 2016, a DraftKings employee accidentally posted confidential data, leading to insider trading accusations.
Hackers and Consumer Devices
Researchers are developing software that can be loaded onto drones to penetrate consumer devices and networks, as well as enterprise networks. This software could be used to conduct large-scale cyber attacks, with healthcare and government organizations being prime targets.
In conclusion, as we move forward, it's crucial for companies and individuals to take great care to protect themselves. New attacks take front-and-center stage while tried-and-true attacks continue to be effective. Whether it's political campaigns, fantasy sports, or connected cars, the potential for cyber threats is vast and ever-evolving.
