Cybersecurity in 2022: What to Watch For

Published in Member Communities on May 27, 2022

By Jay Bracken, CISSP, Information Security Officer, VGM Group, Inc.

The landscape of cybersecurity is always evolving as new technologies come along and attackers become savvier. Going forward, we will continue to see some common cybersecurity trends from the last few years. However, there are some new threats on the horizon as well that we all need to be prepared for. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the biggest trends in cybersecurity for 2022.

Ransomware: Quantity and Severity Increase

Anyone who follows the news will have heard reports of large ransomware attacks on all types of businesses. When it come to the healthcare industry, these attacks can really hit home. We’ve seen whole hospitals shut down for days, even weeks, with no ability to access vital patient records. Obviously, that can lead to severe impacts to patient outcomes.

In 2021, there was a 150% rise in ransomware, and we can expect a similar rise in 2022. The big trend in ransomware is an increase in carefully targeted attacks. Hackers learn about your business through publicly available resources like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, even your own website—then weaponize this knowledge to trick users into clicking phishing emails or downloading malicious applications.

This doesn’t just apply to large, global companies—the FBI observed some threat actors directing their ransomware attacks at small to medium business over the course of 2021, as these companies often have fewer resources devoted to security. Use of next-generation antivirus and endpoint protection software, along with thorough user training on security awareness are needed to fend off these cunning attacks.

Supply Chain Attacks

With all that has happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the largest impacts has been on the global supply chain. We’ve all had our eyes opened to just how fragile supply chains can be, from chip shortages and increased prices to shipping delays. Even with the increased attention to the supply chain, there are still many blind spots out there.

Attackers have noticed this too and are now attacking the supply chain to disrupt business even further. Attacks to the supply chain provide a lot of bang-for-the-buck to threat actors, as one attack can impact hundreds or even thousands of companies. Careful planning to eliminate single points of failure among your suppliers is needed to mitigate this vulnerability and ensure your business has the resiliency it needs.

Nation-State Threats

Remote Work Attacks

Keeping Data Safe

This article was originally featured in the VGM Playbook: Growing Your Business With Data and Technology. To read the full article and more like this, download your copy of the playbook today!