2016 saw many scandalous data breaches, as well as developments in malware and other security threats. What can we learn from the major revelations from this momentous year in hacker history?
The Internet of Things is Vulnerable
Thousands of devices are infected with malware which allows them to form a massive botnet, like the Mirai botnet, which hackers are then able to use to cause havoc. One of the most notorious attacks was on the DNS provider Dyn, which resulted in several hours of domain name resolution issues. IoT will be yet another major mode of attack for hackers in 2018. Will device manufacturers continue seeing security as an afterthought?
Ransomware is Becoming More Powerful
2016 was a big year for ransomware attacks , with many new types of ransomware that are nastier and more sophisticated than ever. Petya ransomware, for example, encrypts the victim’s files and their master boot record. Ransomware as a Service also appeared, allowing even unskilled hackers to kidnap data. Nobody is safe; everybody needs to take extra precaution when dealing with spam emails.
Governments Can Be Hacked
Two important security breaches in the US showed that even large government agencies can be hacked; the Internal Revenue Service, and the Democratic National Committee. Thousands of tax return PINs were stolen via an e-file PIN reset function, and stolen data from the DNC breach wound up on Wikileaks.
The lesson learned: If a government can be hit by hacking attacks, so can your business.
Yahoo: Largest User Data Hack Ever
In December 2016, Yahoo admitted that it had been hacked in August 2013. Yahoo’s second data breach, which was also only reported in 2016, had exposed more than 500 million user accounts in 2014.
How do you plan on protecting your network against security threats this year? Quikteks Tech Support can help. To learn more about what we can do for your business’s network security, reach out to us at (973) 882-4644.