With 2021 coming to a close, those involved with the technology sector are considering what may be in store for 2022. The general consensus among the cybersecurity contingent is that ransomware remains the area of greatest concern.
Finding out from one expert, we can learn that the so-termed ‘dark cloud’ is coming. Tal Mozes, co-founder and CEO, Mitiga tells Digital Journal that the technology sector could be in for a stormy 2022.
The dark cloud of botnets is the biggest and potentially most dangerous cloud computing infrastructure running on the Internet today. Such threats often arise from areas of the Internet that are classed as ‘anonymous places’.
Areas like darknet and other specific non-moderated places like chanboards trend to attract criminal activity. These areas can be used to share or sell data or provide discussion areas to present opportunities that threaten many organisations.
It is these murky areas of the web that Mozes turns his attention, informing: “The Darknet – which originally described computers on ARPANET that were hidden and programmed to receive messages, but did not respond to or acknowledge anything – is going to be succeeded by the DarkCloud.”
As to what this new threat presents, Mozes explains: “Criminals will use an invisible cloud to attack organizations in 2022, taking full advantage of the cloud’s capabilities for on demand scale and ubiquitous accessibility.”
This connects with one of 2021’s unsavoury trends: “Ransomware and malware are already available as a service, and will use cloud native technologies to attack cloud infrastructure at scale.”
Responding to such threats is hampered by recruitment challenges and a skills gap, says Mozes.
He points out: “The industry has complained for years about the lack of talent in cybersecurity, and yet it’s not valuing new graduates and bootcamp students.”
This means that reforms are required. Mozes sees the problem as: “Entry level jobs require three to five years of experience, leaving many students who learned how to pen test and hack with time on their hands and no job opportunities.”
In terms of what needs to be done, Mozes recommends: “Unless the industry finds ways to train and mentor these eager students — and helps them transition successfully into the field, they’ll find the cybercriminal industry all too ready to take them in.”
