Since the coronavirus outbreak, cybersecurity attacks have increased considerably, mostly supported by the switch to remote working. We’re talking about a combo of weaker controls on home IT and a higher likelihood of users clicking on links to fraudulent websites. The malware is immediately installed and the attackers can demand impressive sums of money to return the much-needed files. attackers are actively exploiting victims’ vulnerabilities, luring unsuspecting victims on fake websites and stealing their credentials. Popular films such as Star Wars are deployed as bait in social engineering attacks that capture the attention with the promise of an early preview.
The increased reliance on digital platforms increases the vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Technological innovations that have helped the movie industry have also lowered the barrier to safeguarding private data. Malicious actors have more resources and more elaborate invasion plans. These days, it’s easy to commit cyber-attacks, and ransoming content seems to become more attractive for cyber thieves. The aim is for quality, not quantity. Unfortunately, attacks have a high chance of success.
The ransomware attack on Apple clearly shows that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated
Apple is to tech what Star Wars is to movies. It has profoundly changed the aesthetics and narratives. Apple’s gadgets are based on science and fantasy alike. The multinational technology company has succeeded in creating a world much like that of George Lucas’s far-off galaxy. Everything and everyone is connected and we can tap into the immense pools of power through the devices we possess. Even if Apple is a truly innovative company, it’s not immune to cyber-attacks. It’s important to point out that quite recently Apple was targeted in a $50 million ransomware attack at its Spring Loaded event.
Ransomware has slowly but surely become one of the most pressing issues in terms of cybersecurity, impacting organizations of all sizes. Malicious attackers are now focusing their attention on specific companies and industries, as stated by cybersecurity experts. In the last few years, there used to be widespread ransomware attacks. Now, it’s a completely different story. More exactly, the ransomware attacks are highly targeted and specifically tailored to the intended victim. While any business can fall victim to such incidents, some are more likely than others to be targeted by cybercriminals. At first sight, it seems impossible to put a stop to these attacks and catch the gangs. Ransomware proves that there are big flaws in our tech world.
A group of malicious actors, which are commonly referred to as the REvil, said they managed to break into Quanta Computer, a company based in Taiwan that manufactures MacBooks, besides other products. Apple is menaced after REvil ransomware attack although it has been claimed that there is no material impact on the company’s business operations. Many agree with the fact that the online extortion business is becoming sleeker. As a result of this, the cybersecurity space will become more complex and difficult in 2021.
Malicious actors will do everything within their powers to refine and change their tactics, techniques, and procedures. Not only will they become more sophisticated, but they will also set their eyes on multimillion dollar organizations. Hackers threaten to publish sensitive and confidential information if their demands aren’t met. While paying the ransom increases the chances of recovering important files, there’s no guarantee that the extortion won’t continue. If one threat disappears, another one will take its place.
The Star Wars saga is a lesson in what to do about cybersecurity
Surprising as it may seem, the Star Wars movies that tell the intergalactic tale of droids and lightsaber battles can teach us a lot about the paramount importance of cybersecurity. In what follows, we’ll shortly discuss the top cybersecurity lessons to learn early on.
Encryption is the only hope for when you’re going through the storm
When Luke Skywalker gets hold of the R2-D2 astromech droid, he discovers a message. Only a small preview of it plays on the loop and that’s because the message was addressed to Obi-Wan. R2-D2 doesn’t want to play the message until he is delivered to Obi-Wan. We can deduce from the story that the message is encrypted. Data encryption improves the security of communications, so unauthorized parties can’t gain access to the information.
Organizations of all sizes should consider data encryption as a solution against ransomware and other types of attacks. The data is viewed by specific recipients and is rendered indecipherable to anyone else. Once the data is encrypted and the key is secured, the information becomes useless. To put it simply, the cybercriminal can’t do anything with it. Most importantly, it’s difficult for the malware to detect it or attack. Encryption might not be the ultimate defense against ransomware attackers, but it’s better than nothing.
It’s important to eliminate internal threats
Insider threats took down the Death Star. We can all remember when Galen Erso, the brilliant scientist, sabotaged the Death Stars’ design, making it possible to destroy the entire space station. The Empire didn’t suspect anything because Erso was a model employee. That only goes to show that no one can be trusted 100 %. Internal threats can turn out to be more dangerous than external threats when it comes to cybersecurity. Since breaches can start from the inside, it’s necessary to implement tight control measures. The malicious actor could be an employee or an officer in the organization.
The protective sensitive shield can be disabled quite easily
Somehow, the Death Star plans found their way to the Rebel Alliance. Admiral Motti didn’t take this situation too seriously being convinced that there’s nothing to be worried about. What happened was that the rebels exploited the vulnerabilities in the Death Star, launching an attack that would ultimately bring down the Galactic Empire. The point is that any core shield can be disabled. Needless to say, a cybercriminal can do a lot of damage if one account or device is compromised. It’s necessary to be wary of security threats and handle security vulnerabilities.