Symantec’s Internet Security Threat Report revealed 2016’s attacks as politically driven and malicious. At an all time high, increments in cyber attacks have not only grew in number, but also in impact. From bank heists to cyber propaganda to disrupt the U.S elections, Symantec warns businesses and consumers of alarming threats.
At the forefront of the attacks were those marked with subversive and sabotage motivations. Devastating attacks that were reported followed a common trend; they sought to dismantle political authority. Symantec reported that the U.S Democratic Party were among those bombarded by attacks of overt campaigns. Following the trend was also the leak of stolen information to reap havoc and disrupt.
Also reported by Symantec were attacks directed towards businesses and consumers which siphoned billions and billions of dollars. According to the security solutions provider, “the largest heists are carried out virtually.” Targeting businesses, cyber criminals reportedly used a software called PowerShell, a commonly installed scripting language on PCs and Microsoft Office Files. In line with the recent attacks, emails were also discussed as the primary infection points with a finding of one in 131 emails to contain a malicious link or attachment. Digital extortion and cloud infiltration were also among the next frontiers of cyber crimes recounted. These were suspected of being exercised to further fund criminal attacks.
New sophistication and innovation are the nature of the threat landscape, but this year Symantec has identified seismic shifts in motivation and focus,” said Peter Sparkes, Senior Director, Cyber Security Services, Asia Pacific & Japan, Symantec. “The world saw specific nation states double down on political manipulation and straight sabotage. Meanwhile, cyber criminals caused unprecedented levels of disruption by focusing their exploits on relatively simple IT tools and cloud services.”
As a means of staying protected, Symantec shared key practices for businesses and consumers. For businesses, the usage of advance intelligence solutions were suggested in order to provide a multi-layered defense strategy. Trainings about malicious emails were also recommended. For consumers, Symantec suggests having strong unique passwords, updated software, email caution, and constant backups.