One thing's for certain, our experts say that AI and deepfakes rule when it comes to internet worries in 2024.
As AI becomes more sophisticated, it can be used by bad actors to endanger internet users.
In a new study by Keeper Security, 92% of IT security leader respondents reveal that cyberattacks are more frequent now than one year ago- and growing more sophisticated.
AI-powered attacks, deepfakes, cloud jacking and fileless attacks topped the list for the emerging attack vectors they feel least equipped to defend against.
Although the internet itself will always pose risks, organizations can be safe online by developing a proactive approach to cybersecurity, combining advanced defense mechanisms and basic best practices to mitigate and fight existing attack vectors and burgeoning threats.
Leveraging strong, unique passwords for every account and enabling strong multi-factor authentication.
Harder to recognise phishing emails means more businesses falling victim to cyberattacks like ransomware, so they must look to expand cybersecurity postures to include hardware security.
Cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated, leveraging AI to impersonate trusted figures through phishing or deepfakes, and making bogus websites or emails appear even more convincing.
A tip for staying safe on the internet is placing equal importance on your digital identity as your in-person one - you wouldn't hand over sensitive information to a stranger, so the same ethos should be applied online.
Always consider ways to digital padlock your account and look over any online interaction with a sceptical eye.
Processes like multi-factor authentication, one-time passcodes from banks to authorise larger transactions, and complex login passwords unique for every account are all crucial to maintain identity security.
According to a 2023 survey conducted by Yubico and OnePoll, Gen Z has adopted worse cyber habits than Boomers, which puts their online accounts at significant risk of cyber attacks.
Despite this, the survey found that 90 percent of Gen Z respondents are concerned with the cybersecurity of their online accounts, and while improved awareness is a great first step, change is needed to stay secure from increasing cyber attacks like phishing.
The first step is improving basic cyber hygiene practices - for example, the survey found that Gen Z is more likely to use the same password for multiple accounts compared to Boomers.
Although policies requiring passwords to become increasingly complex and more frequently updated have demanded more from users' time and memory, simple passwords are easily guessed.
One effective way to address this is with modern passwordless technology, such as phishing-resistant hardware-based passkey authentication like security keys.
Unlike passwords, passkeys are physically stored on users' devices such as phones, computers or security keys and can't be intercepted or stolen by remote attackers.
This Safer Internet Day sheds light on the ineffectiveness of passwords, and how more platforms and services should enable passkeys to create a safe and secure internet for all.
It offers convenience, productivity, accessibility and worldwide scale, while criminals leverage it to launch cyber attacks on individuals and businesses alike, aimed at stealing personal information for financial gain.
Safer Internet Day serves as a reminder to be vigilant about what and how digital identity data is shared, collected and stored, especially given the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence tools.
This Cyber News was published on www.itsecurityguru.org. Publication date: Tue, 06 Feb 2024 17:13:05 +0000