If you use two-factor authentication with one-time codes generated in an app, Google Authenticator is not your only option. Since Googles original solution was created a decade or so ago, a number of alternatives that outperform it in convenience and functionality have come on the scene. As recently as three years show more ...
ago, you could count available authenticator apps on one hand, but with a few dozen in the mix now, it is easy to get lost in the options. To help you choose an authenticator that works with your operating systems, we have grouped the 10 most noteworthy by OS: Authenticator apps for Android: andOTP, Twilio Authy, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Cisco Duo Mobile, FreeOTP Authenticator apps for iOS 15: OTP auth, Step Two, Twilio Authy, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Cisco Duo Mobile, FreeOTP, iOS built-in authenticator Authenticator apps for Windows: WinAuth, Twilio Authy Authenticator apps for macOS: Step Two, OTP auth (paid version only), Twilio Authy 1. Google Authenticator Operating systems: Android, iOS Anyone reading this post is probably already familiar with the overwhelmingly popular Google Authenticator. However, we cant write about authenticator apps without mentioning this one — and we can use Googles authenticator as a baseline for evaluating the other programs. The iOS version of Google Authenticator On the whole, Google Authenticator is a convenient solution for those who would rather not get involved with token synchronization through the cloud. Instead, the app can export all of the tokens created in it, making a single QR code to import them en masse to a new device. In the iOS version, it recently became possible to search tokens and protect access to the app with Touch ID or Face ID, unlike with the Android version. Google Authenticator still cannot hide generated codes from view, which may be problematic if you use it in public. (Incidentally, all authenticators for Android restrict the taking of screenshots, so all screenshots in this post come from the iOS versions of the apps.) Pros: No need to create an account, Face ID/Touch ID protection for app access (iOS version only), Simple interface with minimal settings, Ability to export and import all tokens at once, Ability to search by token name (iOS version only). Cons: No login protection (Android version), Inability to hide codes, No cloud backup/sync, Greater potential risk, because of ease of exporting tokens, if the unlocked app falls into the wrong hands. Summary Google Authenticator lacks some useful features, but if you dont want to get involved with storing tokens in the cloud, its a decent option. 2. Microsoft Authenticator Operating systems: Android, iOS Many people looking for an alternative to Google Authenticator turn to Microsoft Authenticator based solely on the reputation of the developer. Theyre partly justified: The Microsoft app includes a few useful additions to the basic set of features. For example, it can hide codes on the screen and store tokens in the cloud, and both the iOS and Android versions protect app logins. Microsoft Authenticator also comes in handy if you work with Microsoft accounts regularly, in which case you do not need to enter a code, just tap the button in the app to confirm login. Microsoft Authenticator: Not bad, but why so big? However, this app also has drawbacks. First, the Android and iOS apps use completely incompatible cloud backup systems, and you cant transfer tokens any other way. For users of devices with different operating systems, that would be a deal-breaker. Second, Microsoft Authenticator needs about 10 times the storage space of Google Authenticator, 150MB–200MB compared with 15MB–20MB. Pros: PIN-, fingerprint-, or Face ID–protected access, Cloud backup/sync, Hides codes, No account required (as long as you keep cloud backup disabled), Greatly simplified Microsoft account login, Support for Apple Watch (iOS version). Cons: Microsoft account login necessary for backup/sync (Android version only), Incompatibility between iOS and Android backup/sync systems, Inability to export or import tokens, Large (requires 150MB–200MB). Summary Microsoft Authenticator greatly simplifies login to Microsoft accounts, but it is hard to excuse its enormous size — and that iOS and Android cloud backups are incompatible. 3. Twilio Authy Operating systems: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux Twilio Authys main advantage is its comprehensive cross-platform support. Not only does Authy offer versions for all current operating systems, but also, the app syncs them all handily. That easy access does come with one disadvantage, though. The app requires an account linked to your phone number to work at all. Twilio Authy has apps for every operating system The apps interface looks very different from those of other authenticators. Instead of a list, it has something like a set of tabs, so at any given moment, it displays only the selected token, leaving the rest to appear as small icons that you can switch between at the bottom of the screen. If you have a lot of tokens, that can be inconvenient. Desktop users can display tokens as a list, but the option isnt available in the mobile version. Pros: PIN-, fingerprint-, or Face ID–protected access, Cloud backup/sync, Availability for all popular operating systems, Support for Apple Watch (iOS version), Ability to search by token. Cons: Requires an account linked to a phone number, Displays only one token at a time, Inconvenience of searching for tokens, Inability to hide the active tokens code, Inability to export and import tokens. Summary You cannot use Twilio Authy without setting up an account, and the smartphone interface isnt as user friendly as wed like it to be, but with apps for all operating systems syncing perfectly with one another, this app may be worth a look. 4. Cisco Duo Mobile Operating systems: Android, iOS Duo Mobile, acquired by Cisco in 2018, is one of the oldest authenticator apps. Its main advantage is a clean, user-friendly interface. Duo Mobile also hides codes from view and does not require an account. However, the software lacks other important features: first and foremost, access protection, which neither the iOS nor the Android version has. The Android version of Cisco Duo Mobile lets users Temporarily allow screenshots, so for variety, here are screenshots of both versions Duo Mobile uses two systems for cloud backup: Google Cloud on the Android platform and iCloud on the iOS platform. The smartphone users existing Google and Apple accounts serve for that, meaning users do not have to create a new account for the app to work. However, users cannot sync data between Android and iOS versions, the app does not support file export, and there is no option to view a secret key or QR code for tokens that are already saved (which could be helpful if you need to do a manual sync). Pros: Clean, user-friendly interface, Ability to hide codes, No need to create an account, Cloud backup/sync, Apple Watch support (iOS version). Cons: No access protection, Inability to export or import tokens, Incompatible backup/sync systems for iOS and Android. Summary Cisco Duo Mobile may meet your needs if you use, and plan always to use, only one mobile operating system. 5. FreeOTP Operating systems: Android, iOS This open-source authenticator app was created after Google closed its Authenticator source code. The FreeOTP interface is ultraminimalistic, with nothing superfluous. This minimalist approach is especially apparent in the iOS version, which lacks even the option to create a token based on a secret key, leaving only QR-code scanning. The Android version retains both options, and it offers a lot of flexibility in manual token creation, letting users choose the type of generation (TOTP or HOTP), the number of characters in the code, the algorithm, and the refresh interval for the codes. FreeOTP is the most minimalist open-source authenticator One disadvantage is that no version of the app supports cloud sync or token export and import in the form of a file, so once you start using the app, youre stuck with it. In addition, in FreeOTP, you cant set a PIN or protect app access any other way (in the iOS version, you can protect individual tokens with Touch ID or Face ID). The app hides codes by default, though, and also hides them automatically after 30 seconds of inactivity. FreeOTPs final advantage is that it takes up minimal storage space, about 2MB–3?B (by comparison, Google Authenticator requires 15MB–20MB, and Microsoft Authenticator takes up 150MB–200MB). Pros: No need for an account, Simple interface, Hidden codes as default, Codes automatically hidden after 30 seconds of inactivity, Minimal storage requirement, Touch ID or Face ID protection for tokens (iOS version only), Ability to search by token name (iOS version). Cons: Inability to generate a token with a secret key (iOS version; requires scanning a QR code), Inability to export and import tokens, Inability to backup/sync, Lack of access protection. Summary Like all open-source apps, FreeOTP is a little quirky, but we cut it a lot of slack because its interface and overall storage requirements are so light. 6. andOTP Operating systems: Android The andOTP authenticator has everything you can think of to conveniently and securely save tokens, and then some. For example, andOTPs features include tag support and search for tokens by name. There is also an option to connect a panic button so that in case of emergency, you can erase all tokens from the app and reset. Like all authenticators for Android, andOTP blocks screenshots on a screen with codes, so heres the Settings menu The app allows you to view your secret key or QR code for each token individually. You can also save all of your tokens at once in an encrypted file in Google Drive — that means with one tap you can back up to the cloud or export to a file. App access can be protected with a password or the fingerprint you use to log in to your Android device. For greater security, however, you can set up a separate PIN or even a long password specifically for andOTP, along with setting the app to lock after a period of inactivity (which you define). There are three or four more settings screens — this app is a geeks dream. Pros: Access protection with a PIN or password set in the app, or with the OS login PIN or fingerprint, Ability to view the secret key or QR code for any token, Ability to export all tokens at once to an encrypted file in Google Drive, Code-hiding, Automatic hiding of codes when the user is inactive (after 5–60 seconds, configurable), Automatic locking of the app when the user is inactive (after 10–360 seconds, configurable), Flexible token searching by name or using customizable tags, Option to use panic button to erase all tokens, Flexible and plentiful settings. Cons: Android-only availability, Ease of key retrieval, meaning greater risk if the unlocked app falls into the wrong hands. Summary andOTP is the most feature-rich authenticator for Android and is sure to please all authenticator geeks. 7. OTP auth Operating systems: iOS, macOS ($5.99) If you are an iPhone user who read the above descriptions of andOTP and started to feel jealous of Android owners, we have good news for you: A cutting-edge authenticator app for iOS is also available. The creators of OTP auth clearly understand the problems of people who use 2FA in a lot of services, so this app features a system of folders for organizing token storage. OTP auth lets you configure the font size for one-time codes In addition, OTP auth allows you to view the secret key or QR code at any time for any token or export all of them at once to a file on the smartphone. The app also supports iCloud sync. Users can protect app login with Touch ID or Face ID, or use a separate password for OTP auth. We prefer the latter, given how easy exporting tokens from this app is. The only useful feature missing is the ability to hide codes. Pros: Ability to view the secret key or QR code of any token, Ability to export all tokens to a file at once, iCloud backup/sync, Folder system for organized token storage, Apple Watch support, Configuration of code display format, Access protection with password or Touch ID/Face ID. Cons: Exists only for iOS and macOS (and only as a paid version for macOS), Inability to hide codes, Icon customization available in paid version only, Greater potential risk, because of ease of key retrieval, if the unlocked app falls into the wrong hands. Summary OTP auth is the most feature-rich authenticator for iOS, and it boasts easy, convenient token export. 8. Step Two Operating systems: iOS, macOS If andOTP seems over the top and Twilio Authys requirement to sign up scares you away, but you still need an authenticator for both iOS and macOS, you should seriously consider Step Two. The interface is minimalist: Both the iOS and the macOS versions are reminiscent of Apples Calculator app, and that is nice in its own way. Step Two: The epitome of minimalism To match its minimalist interface, Step Two has minimal settings and features, although it does offer iCloud sync. In addition, the desktop app supports QR code scanning, which it does through screen capture (requiring users to grant permission, which makes the feature somewhat risky; in theory it lets the program see everything else theyre doing). Pros: No unnecessary features, No need to create an account, iCloud backup/sync, Ability to scan QR codes (macOS version), Apple Watch support, Ability to search by token name. Cons: No access protection, Does not hide codes, Inability to export and import tokens, Ten-token maximum in the free version, Screen-capture permission needed to scan a QR code (macOS version). Summary Step Two is a minimalist authenticator for anyone who has a Mac and iPhone and doesnt need bells and whistles. 9. WinAuth Operating systems: Windows WinAuth targets gamers primarily. The apps unique superpower is its support for nonstandard tokens for authentication in Steam, Battle.net, and Trion/Gamigo games. If you are looking for an alternative to Steam Guard, Battle.net Authenticator, or Glyph Authenticator/RIFT Mobile Authenticator, this may be the app for you. WinAuth is one of the few authenticator apps for Windows To be sure, the app also supports standard tokens, including tokens for Guild Wars 2 and other NCSoft games (which for some reason the developers list separately), and all others: Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and so on. WinAuth uses a password for logging in and for individual tokens. The app hides codes by default, including automatically, and lets you encrypt the data it stores and exports. Pros: Support for nonstandard tokens for gaming services, meaning it can replace Steam Guard and Battle.net Authenticator, as well as Glyph Authenticator and RIFT Mobile Authenticator, Support for token export in an unencrypted text file or in an encrypted archive, Codes hidden, Automatic code hiding after more than 10 seconds of user inactivity, Access protection through password or YubiKey (that is, U2F), Additional password protection available for each token, Portable, with flash drive and cloud storage options, Can encrypt stored data, Ability to scan QR code from file (local or on the Internet). Cons: Steam token creation requires giving WinAuth your Steam username and password, Using a two-factor authentication app on a PC is not advisable in general, No version for other operating systems, Greater potential risk, because of ease of key retrieval, if the unlocked app falls into the wrong hands. Summary Gamers will love WinAuth because it allows for the creation of the nonstandard tokens game publishers favor. 10. iOS and macOS built-in authenticator Operating systems: iOS (built in to the system), macOS (built in to the Safari browser) Starting with iOS 15, all versions of the iPhones operating system have a built-in 2FA one-time code generator. To find it, go toSettings -> Passwords, select a stored account (or create a new one), and under the heading Account Options tap Set Up Verification Code…. The rest is as usual: You can either scan the QR code or manually enter the secret key — or scan the authenticator QR code right from the camera app and then add a token to an existing account in Passwords. Inconveniently, the latter method will not prompt you to create a new account. A built-in authenticator is now also available in macOS, or more specifically, in versions 15 and later of the Safari browser. To find it, open Safari, and in the menu at the top of the screen, go to Safari -> Preferences -> Passwords. Select an account (or tap + to create a new one), tap Edit, and in the window that opens, tap Enter Setup Key… (there is no QR code option here). The tokens automatically sync using iCloud, so you will not need to activate them again on the ??c if you have already created them on an iPhone. In theory, the iOS/macOS built-in authenticator supports autofill, but in practice, it doesnt work very smoothly yet. We ran a little experiment with a Twitter account and two-factor authentication with the code we received. Results were mixed: When we logged in to the Twitter app, the system successfully filled in an authentication code, but when we tried to log in to the Twitter website in Safari, the code never appeared, whether we tried in iOS or in macOS. Pros: Availability on every iPhone (iOS 15 and later) and every ??c (regardless of OS, Safari 15 and later), No need to create a separate account, Ability to add a token directly from the camera app (but only to an existing account; it wont work for creating a new one), Autofill for one-time codes, Access protection using Touch ID or Face ID, iCloud backup/sync. Cons: Location in the depths of iOS or Safari settings, Display of only one token at a time, Inability to hide codes, Visible account password next to the code (iOS version), Storage of 2FA tokens and passwords together antithetical to principles of two-factor authentication, Inability to export and import tokens. Summary At first glance, building an authenticator into the OS looks like a good idea. However, in this case, autofill doesnt work consistently, and the feature is too hard to find. Remember to make a backup copy In closing, here are a few tips. First, you are never limited to using just a single authenticator app. One option may be better for some purposes, another for others. You can — and should — combine apps depending on your needs. Second, we recommend paying attention to security. Install a reliable device lock and always make sure to enable app access protection, especially if you plan to use one of the authenticators that lets you easily export tokens (Google Authenticator, andOTP, OTP auth, or WinAuth). With those apps, which prioritize ease of access, a potential attacker can not only steal a one-time code that works for 30 seconds, but also quickly clone all tokens. Third, remember to make a backup copy of your tokens, especially if you have chosen one of the apps in which you cant view the secret key or QR code or export tokens to a file (in other words, most of them). The backup copy will come in handy if you lose your smartphone or if, for example, the app stops working correctly after a routine update. In most cases recovering an authenticator without a backup copy will be much harder.
From deepfakes to crypto crime to in-flight drone-based data theft, cyber awareness in 2022 will look a bit different. Good cyber awareness means knowing these risks and preparing for it.
Security researchers from JFrog said on Thursday that they discovered a critical JNDI-based vulnerability in the H2 database console exploiting a root cause similar to Log4Shell.
Public vulnerability disclosure happens quite frequently, for vulnerabilities in a wide variety of software, from the most esoteric to the most mundane (and widely used).
Vulnerabilities in the e-commerce domain of Indian bookseller Oswaal Books could have allowed attackers to seize control of the website, a security researcher has claimed.
A handful of malware samples that emerged in 2021 demonstrated once again that Apple's technologies, while less prone to attack and compromise than Windows systems, are not invulnerable.
The incident took place in December 2021 after a threat actor compromised one of the company’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) accounts, according to Australian security researcher Troy Hunt.
Cyberattacks have become so advanced that the starting point of an attack is often not the primary target, but the weakest part of the underlying software or hardware supply chain.
Ravkoo disclosed a data breach after the company's AWS hosted cloud prescription portal was involved in a security incident that may have led to personal and health information being accessed.
A successful partnership can also accelerate the resolution of security issues whilst increasing network resilience, helping both network and security teams to achieve their goals.
Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI) reported the data breach to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) as affecting 79,943 current and former patients.
Security professionals are already in short supply. Combine that with alert fatigue, a demand surge, and the 24x7 nature of the modern workplace, and it's clear why employee burnout is increasing.
An Italian man allegedly involved in a multi-year scheme to fraudulently obtain hundreds of prepublication manuscripts was arrested at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, in New York.
According to MalwareHunterteam, who first spotted the new ransomware strain, the Night Sky operation started on December 27th and has since published the data of two victims.
According to a new report released by Chainalysis on cryptocurrency crime trends, $14 billion in cryptocurrency was sent to illicit addresses in 2021, nearly double the figure seen in 2020.
The security team of the U.K NHS said that it detected an unknown threat actor using the Log4Shell vulnerability to hack VMWare Horizon servers and plant web shells for future attacks.
Switzerland's army has banned the use of WhatsApp whilst on duty, a spokesman confirmed Thursday, in favour of a Swiss messaging service deemed more secure in terms of data protection.
FinalSite claims to provide solutions for over 8,000 schools and universities. On Tuesday, Finalsite-based websites of school districts were found to be unreachable or were displaying errors.
Attorney General Letitia James highlighted that there are more than 15 billion stolen credentials being circulated across the internet which makes credential stuffing one of the top attack vectors online.
The AvosLocker ransomware group has coughed up a free decryptor after learning that one of their victims was a U.S. police department. Hacker revealed that the taxpayer money is generally hard to get and hence, they usually avoid targeting government entities. Earlier this week, it was spotted with new capabilities to operate under Safe Mode.
In a statement to OG members, the department store said it was notified on Tuesday about the data breach, which affected members who are in either the basic or gold tiers.
CrowdStrike researchers have found Aquatic Panda threat actors who are abusing Log4Shell exploit tools on a vulnerable VMware installation at large academic institutions. The threat group is known for using tools for maintaining persistence to obtain access to intellectual property and other trade secrets. Moreover, the U.S. FTC issued a warning to companies to proactively address the flaw.
The vulnerability (CVE-2021-44790) can be exploited via a carefully crafted request body that can cause a buffer overflow in the mod_lua multipart parser (r:parsebody() called from Lua scripts).
The developers of WordPress have pushed out a security-focused update that addresses four significant security flaws, including cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection vulnerabilities.
This Metasploit module will intercept direct SMB authentication requests to another host, gaining access to an authenticated SMB session if successful. If the connecting user is an administrator and network logins are allowed to the target machine, this module will execute an arbitrary payload. To exploit this, the show more ...
target system must try to authenticate to another host on the local area network. SMB Direct Session takeover is a combination of previous attacks. This module is dependent on an external ARP spoofer. The built-in ARP spoofer was not providing sufficient host discovery. Bettercap version 1.6.2 was used during the development of this module. The original SMB relay attack was first reported by Sir Dystic on March 31st, 2001 at @lanta.con in Atlanta, Georgia.
Red Hat Security Advisory 2022-0041-02 - Node.js is a software development platform for building fast and scalable network applications in the JavaScript programming language. Issues addressed include HTTP request smuggling and denial of service vulnerabilities.
The Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL), France's data protection watchdog, has slapped Facebook (now Meta Platforms) and Google with fines of €150 million ($170 million) and €60 million ($68 million) for violating E.U. privacy rules by failing to provide users with an easy option to reject cookie tracking technology. "The websites facebook.com, google.fr and
Researchers have disclosed a security flaw affecting H2 database consoles that could result in remote code execution in a manner that echoes the Log4j "Log4Shell" vulnerability that came to light last month. The issue, tracked as CVE-2021-42392, is the " first critical issue published since Log4Shell, on a component other than Log4j, that exploits the same root cause of the Log4Shell
Security researchers say they have seen a "massive wave" of hackers exploiting the comment feature in Google Docs to spread malicious content into the inboxes of unsuspecting targeted users. Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog.
For years, "The Spine Collector" has been haunting publishers around the world, attempting to steal manuscripts by famous authors. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.
2020 may have been the year of establishing remote connectivity and addressing the cybersecurity skills gap, but 2021 presented security experts, government officials and businesses with a series of unpresented challenges. The increased reliance on decentralized connection and the continued rapid expansion of digital show more ...
transformation by enterprises, small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and individuals, provided cybercriminals with many opportunities to exploit and capitalize on unsuspecting businesses and individuals. With nothing short of a major financial windfall waiting in the midst, numerous organizations and individuals fell victim to the mischievous efforts of malicious actors. Threats abound in 2021 In 2021, we witnessed so many competing shifts, many of which we detailed early on in our 2021 BrightCloud® Threat Report. In particular, we witnessed an increase in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and a surge in the usage of the internet of things (IoT). For enterprises, SMBs and individuals that entrust IoT devices for work and entertainment, this opens up vulnerabilities to malicious vectors that take advantage of unprotected blind spots and wreak havoc. The cybercrime marketplace also continued to get more robust while the barrier to entry for malicious actors continued to drop. This has created a perfect breeding ground for aspiring cybercriminals and organized cybercrime groups that support newcomers with venture capitalist-style funding. Suffice to say, a lot has been happening at once. Below, our security experts forecast where the main areas of concern lie in the year ahead. Malware Malware made leaps and bounds in 2021. In particular, six key threats made our list. These dark contenders include LemonDuck, REvil, Trickbot, Dridex, Conti and Cobalt Strike. “In 2022, the widespread growth of mobile access will increase the prevalence of mobile malware, given all of the behavior tracking capabilities,” says Grayson Milbourne, security intelligence director, Carbonite + Webroot, OpenText companies. Malicious actors will continue to improve their social engineering tactics, making it more difficult to recognize deception and make it increasingly easier to become a victim, predicts Milbourne. Ransomware Earlier in 2021, we detailed the hidden costs of ransomware in our eBook. Many organizations when faced with an attack, gave into the demands of threat actors, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars on average. Since mid-October 2021, there have been more than 25 active strains of ransomware circulating. The evolution of ransomware as a service (RaaS) has vastly proliferated. Conti, in particular, continues to be the more prevalent ransomware affecting SMBs. “As the year progresses, we will likely see faster times to network-wide deployment of ransomware after an initial compromise, even in as little as 24 hours,” says Milbourne. “Stealth ransomware attacks, which would deploy all the necessary elements to control, exfiltrate and encrypt key assets of an organization but do not execute until there is no alternative, will likely continue to proliferate,” says Matt Aldridge, principal solutions consultant at Carbonite + Webroot. “This approach will be used to get around restrictions on reporting and on ransomware payments. Criminals can extort their targets based on the impending threat of ransomware without ever having to encrypt or exfiltrate the data. This could lead to quicker financial gains for criminals, as organizations will be more willing to pay to avoid generating awareness, experiencing major downtime or incurring data protection fines,” forecasts Aldridge. Cryptocurrency There was no shortage of discussion surrounding cryptocurrency and its security flaws. The rise of exchange attacks grew, and quick scams reigned. The free operation of cryptocurrency exchanges and marketplaces will be significantly impacted by government regulation and criminal investigation in 2022, especially in the United States. “This year, we will likely see new threat actors become strategic in their cost-benefit analysis of undertaking long-term mining versus short-term ransomware payments. The focus will likely fall to Linux and the growth of manipulation of social media platforms to determine price,” predicts Kelvin Murray, senior threat researcher, Carbonite + Webroot. Supply chain “Simply put, attacks on the supply will never stop; it will only get worse,” says Tyler Moffitt, senior security analyst at Carbonite + Webroot. Each year the industry gets increasingly stronger and more intelligent. Yet every year, we witness more never-before-seen attacks and business leaders and security experts are constantly looking at each other thinking, “I’m glad it wasn’t us in that supply chain attack,” continues Moffitt. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) fines have more than doubled since they came out a few years ago just as ransom amounts have increased. These fine values have also been promoted on leak sites. Moffitt predicts GDPR will continue to increase their fines, which may serve to help, instead of thwart, the threat of ransomware extortion. Phishing Last year, we forecasted phishing would continue to remain a prevailing method of attack, as unsuspecting individuals and businesses would fall victim to tailored assaults. In our mid-year BrightCloud® Threat report, we found a 440% increase in phishing, holding the record for the single largest phishing spike in one month alone. Industries like oil, gas, manufacturing and mining will continue to see growth in targeted attacks. Consumers also remain at risk. As more learning, shopping and personal banking is conducted online, consumers could face identity and financial theft. What to expect in 2022? The new year ushers in a new wave of imminent concerns. In 2022, we expect to see an increased use of deepfake technology to influence political opinion. We also expect business email compromise (BEC) attacks to become more common. To make matters worse, we also foresee another record-breaking year of vulnerability discovery which is further complicated by bidding wars between bug bounty programs, governments and organized cybercrime. Most bug bounties pay six figures or less, and for a government or a well-funded cybercrime organization, paying millions is not out of reach. Ultimately, this means more critical vulnerabilities will impact individuals and businesses. The early days of 2022 will also be compounded by the discovery of Log4j bugs hidden within Java code. “The critical vulnerability identified within Log4Shell is a great example of how attackers can remotely inject malware into vulnerable systems. This active exploitation is happening as we speak,” says Milbourne. The key to preparing for the plethora of attacks we will likely witness in 2022 is to establish cyber resilience. Whether you’re looking to protect your family, business or customers, Carbonite + Webroot offer the solutions you need to establish a multi-layer approach to combating these threats. By adopting a cyber resilience posture, individuals, businesses small and large can mitigate risks in the ever-changing cyber threat landscape. Experience our award-winning protection for yourself. To learn more about Carbonite and begin your free trial, please click here. To discover Webroot’s solutions for yourself, begin a free trial here. The post 2022: The threat landscape is paved with faster and more complex attacks with no signs of stopping appeared first on Webroot Blog.
