Trend Micro 2017 Prediction: A New Year’s Resolution for Security

More Apple Security Flaws, Cyberattacks, Hacktivism

Bangkok – Thailand – January 11, 2017 – Trend Micro Incorporated, the worldwide security solution leader, announced the yearly prediction report about security situation called “The Next Tier – 8 Security Predictions for 2017”, that predicted this 2017 to have more extensive and invasive attacks. Malicious attackers will use various strategies to take advantage of changing technologies.

“In 2017, cyber security industry will advance to new era after 2016 that many cybercriminals used more various vulnerability searching techniques and more various attacking channels.” Ms. Piyatida Tantrakul, Country Manager at Trend Micro (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said “We foresee the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) causing extensive data management changes for companies around the world, new attack methods threatening corporations, expanding ransomware tactics impacting more devices and cyber-propaganda swaying public opinion.”

In 2016, Discoveries of vulnerabilities on “Apple” platforms were much increasing. About 50 cases and 135 bugs were discovered in Adobe programs, and there were another 76 cases discovered on Microsoft platforms. Software vulnerability attacks are much increasing and will be steadily increased in 2017. Microsoft continues to improve its security so that the criminals would change their target to Apple’s operating systems that are more and more popular nowadays.

Last year, Internet of Things (IoTs) and IoT for Industry (IIoT) were being more targeted. The attacks took advantage on more using of connected equipment by searching their vulnerabilities and insecure systems for destroying business processes like we have seen with the Mirai malware case. The increase of mobile devices and production controlling display systems in industrial environment could expose more important vulnerabilities that can be used for intrude the organizations.

Mr. Khongsak Kortrakul, Senior Technical Manager of Trend Micro (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said that the report predicted the Business Email Compromise (BEC) and Business Process Compromise (BPC) problems would still be increased continuously because of their easiness and low cost. The attacks that lure preys to transfer money would make profits to cybercriminals as much as 140,000 US dollars by tricking an innocent employee to transfer fund to criminals’ accounts. Another method is to hack finance systems directly during operating time. Even the latter method looks difficult, but if it is success, they would make big money from this kind of attack that maybe as much as 81 million US dollars.

Khongsak also said that “we found cybercriminals improved themselves according to the changed technologies. Even there were many new ransomwares increased in 2016, but this growth would not be sustainable anymore, so the attackers will search for new methods with existing malwares. Meanwhile, the changing in IoT industry will open new opportunities for increasing attacks, and the change in software industry will make criminals to search for other kinds of vulnerabilities.”

For business point of view in 2017, Piyatida said “Thailand’s business overview in 2016 has been grown as the second rank after Singapore’s. The significant growth segments are communication, industrial, petroleum and energy, and retails. In this 2017, Trend Micro will target the markets in Financial, other industrial, retails, and education industries. We also projected much more sales growth this year.”

To prepare for more Business Email Compromise (BEC) and Business Process Compromise (BPC) problems that would be more ferocious in this 2017, Trend Micro (Thailand) announced two security solutions: XGen Endpoint Security and TippingPoint IPS that will support organizations to prevent and resolve the problems occurred from those causes.

You can study more about 2017 threat predictions from Trend Micro at:

http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/research-and-analysis/predictions/2017

About Trend Micro

     Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses, and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. With more than 5,000 employees in over 50 countries and the world’s most advanced global threat intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their journey to the cloud. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com.