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2016 Predictions: The Evolving State of Cyber Security

We Will See a Significant Shift in the Attack Surface and How Organizations
Handle Data Protection

by Andrzej Kawalec, CTO for HPE Security Services at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

In 2015 the size and scope of cyber attacks continued to evolve as the average cost of cyber crime
per organization increased to more than $15 million in the United States. This year we will see
adversaries align with advancing technology to become even more sophisticated, targeting new
attack vectors, new and old applications and the emerging digital landscape. They will also continue
to outclass the defenders in their ability to share information, strategies and services to deliver
coordinated larger scale attacks. To combat these concerns, I predict organizations will also shift
their data protection strategy, and make security an even higher priority in 2016. Below are some of
the biggest cyber security trends we’ll see this year as the attack surface continues to expand.
1. Hackers will truly embrace the ‘Internet of Things’

We’ve been talking about the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) for some time, but in 2016, IoT will rapidly
expand the attack surface and present a very real threat to individuals, businesses and
governments. Everything from watches to cars to critical national infrastructure will have an internet
connection, with the UK government estimating that the number of connected devices could be
anywhere from 20 billion to 100 billion by 2020. The personal information attainable through an
individual’s watch or the potential to control a power grid are too valuable for malicious adversaries
to ignore. IoT represents the next battleground as we move towards smarter environments and
adversaries advance their tactics to take advantage of new vulnerabilities that arise.

2. Criminals will expand their “networks”

Not only will new technologies expand the attack surface, but criminals will embrace them for their
own purposes as well. Criminal syndicates will use mobile, digital, social and cloud-enabled
technologies to communicate and coordinate attacks. Having built a sophisticated underground
marketplace for malware, information, technical expertise and service brokers, cyber criminals are
increasing their community focus, global reach and sophistication. They are leveraging their
networks to find new vulnerabilities in mobile devices, operating systems and applications, which
will outstrip more traditional areas of focus, such as the network perimeter. Furthermore, these
sophisticated attackers are mastering encryption technology and techniques not only for attack
purposes, but also to protect their own assets and communication streams. It’s important to
remember that the tools and technologies that deliver convenience to us at home and in the
workplace, also bring that same convenience to cyber criminals with malicious intent.

3. Organizations will find new tools to protect their data and mitigate risk

As the adversary landscape evolves and criminals’ methods alongside it, companies must stay one
step ahead and implement innovative tools to combat the new risks. While organizations still spend

10 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – January 2016 Edition
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