Cyberattacks by nation states and parties affiliated with them represent 23 percent of data breaches, up from 12 percent in 2018 and 19 percent in 2017, according to the Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR).
Two prolific dark web marketplaces have been taken down in simultaneous global operations supported by Europol: the Wall Street Market and the Silkkitie (known as the Valhalla Marketplace).
Hackers are tapping into a growing consumer trend: the use of illicit devices and apps to access pirated content to spread malware and exploit unsuspecting users, a Digital Citizens Alliance report found.
Technology has advanced at an astonishing rate in the last decade, and the pace is only set to accelerate. Capabilities that seemed impossible only a short time ago will develop extremely quickly, aiding those who see them coming and hindering those who don’t. Developments in smart technology will create new possibilities for organizations of all kinds – but they will also create opportunities for attackers and adversaries by reducing the effectiveness of existing controls. Previously well-protected information will become vulnerable.
From elections to North Korean nuclear threats and missile launches, it appears that cyber actors are using geopolitical events to achieve cyber activism and other goals.
2017 illustrated a significantly lower barrier-of-entry to the world of cybercrime with the emergence of malware-as-a-service, with user profile names and credit card numbers readily available on the Dark Web and distribution of 20,000 messages for just $40.
