ESET Cybersecurity Trends for 2016: (In)Security Everywhere

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Today we’re releasing our annual outlook on the year, Trends for 2016: (In)Security Everywhere, a collaboration by top cybersecurity researchers at ESET’s labs around the world. Every year, it reviews the most important events during the previous year and outlines upcoming trends in cybercriminal activity and cyberthreats.

This year, researchers’ predictions touch on both commonplace and complex matters, based on constant monitoring and analysis of the security landscape. From the speed with which new technologies are emerging, to attack reports, new malware families, security bugs with global impact, and an in-depth look at emerging mobile threats, the detailed topics are a reminder that cybersecurity is an evolving challenge for businesses, corporations, governments and consumers around the world. We’ve even coined a new term—haxposure—to describe the risk of corporate data exposure and its implications.

The topics covered in the report include:

  • The Internet of Things (IoT) and the interconnectivity of technologies, with devices like wearables, which need to be secured before being connected
  • The evolution of ransomware, which has changed its focus from blocking files to attacking complete devices, though still maintaining its purpose
  • Targeted attacks and cyber-espionage as potential weapons of the future
  • Globalization of crimeware and massive campaigns
  • Haxposure: the risk of corporate data exposure and its implications
  • The next steps in mobile security and future defense strategies
  • Windows 10: new security and privacy features
  • Critical infrastructures with exposed systems, and industries—such as healthcare—becoming the target of attacks
  • Global personal data protection laws, and the need for joint efforts among governments, companies and users
  • The landscape of cyberthreats to children on the web: sexting, grooming and cyberbullying
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For more tools and techniques to protect yourself from this year’s lineup of cyberthreats, watch our webinar, 2016: Examining the Threatscape Ahead, presented by ESET Sr. Security Researcher, Stephen Cobb.