EDITOR’ S QUESTION

Kaspersky has very recently releases a list of security threat predictions for 2017 that include the impact of bespoke and disposable tools, the growing use of misdirection in terms of attacker identity, the fragility of an indiscriminately Internet-connected world, and the use of cyber attacks as a weapon of information warfare.

The rise of ephemeral infections In 2017, Kaspersky Lab also expects to see the appearance of memory-resident malware that has no interest in surviving beyond the first reboot that will wipe the infection from the machine memory. Such malware, intended for general reconnaissance and the collection of credentials, is likely to be deployed in highly sensitive environments by stealthy attackers keen to avoid arousing suspicion or discovery.

Other top threat predictions for 2017

• Attribution will flounder among false flags: As cyber attacks come to play a greater role in international relations, attribution will become a central issue in determining a political course of action – such as retaliation. The pursuit of attribution could result in the risk of more criminals dumping infrastructure or proprietary tools on the open market, or opting for opensource and commercial malware, not to mention the widespread use of misdirection( generally known as false flags) to muddy the waters of attribution.

• The rise of information warfare: In 2016, the world started to take seriously the dumping of hacked information for aggressive purposes. Such attacks are likely to increase in 2017, and there is a risk that attackers will try to exploit people’ s willingness to accept such data as fact by manipulating or selectively disclosing information.

• Growing vulnerability to cybersabotage: As critical infrastructure and manufacturing systems remain connected to the Internet, often with little or no protection – the temptation to damage or disrupt them could prove overwhelming for cyber attackers, particularly those with advanced skills, and during times of rising geopolitical tension.

• Espionage goes mobile: Kaspersky Lab expects to see more espionage campaigns targeted primarily at mobile, benefiting from the fact that the security industry can struggle to gain full access to mobile operating systems for forensic analysis.

• The commodification of financial attacks: Kaspersky Lab expects to see the‘ commodification’ of attacks along the lines of the 2016 SWIFT heists in 2016 – with specialised resources being offered for sale in underground forums or through as-aservice schemes.

• The compromise of payment systems: As payment systems become increasingly popular and common, Kaspersky Lab expects to see this matched by a greater criminal interest.

• The breakdown of‘ trust’ in ransomware: Kaspersky Lab also anticipates the continuing rise of ransomware, but with the unlikely trust relationship between the victim and their attacker – based on the assumption that payment will result in the return of data – damaged as a lesser grade of criminal decides to enter the space. This could be the turning point in people being prepared to pay up.

78 INTELLIGENTCIO www. intelligentcio. com