LIVE Webinar: Key Lessons Learned from Major Cyberattacks in 2021 and What to Expect in 2022

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact, and perhaps
permanently changing, how we work, cybercriminals again leveraged
the distraction in new waves of cyberattacks.

Over the course of 2021 we saw an increase in multiple attack
approaches; some old, some new. Phishing and ransomware continued
to grow from previous years, as expected, while new attacks on
supply chains and cryptocurrencies captured our attention. We also
saw an uptick in critical Windows vulnerabilities, again proving
that no matter how many vulnerabilities are found, more will always
exist.

As we enter 2022, we are seeing novel attacks originating from
the conflict in Ukraine, which will certainly make their way into
criminal attacks on worldwide businesses. In an upcoming webinar
(register here^[1]), Cybersecurity company
Cynet will provide an in-depth review of the high-profile attacks
we saw in 2021 and provide guidance to cybersecurity professionals
for 2022.

What are the top cyberattacks in 2021 that Cynet will
explore?

The Top 2021 Cyber Attacks

Following are the top attack approaches that impacted companies
around the world in 2021.

Phishing

With over 90% of all attacks beginning with a simple phishing
email, cyber criminals again set their sites on creating more
sophisticated techniques and exploring novel social engineering
approaches. During 2021 we mainly saw phishing campaigns using
Emotet, Dridex, TrickBot, BazarLoader and a few others. Interesting
that Emotet, with a major global takedown in 2020, resurfaced in
2021 as perhaps the most dangerous malware used in phishing
campaigns.

Ransomware

During 2021 we saw some major ransomware campaigns affecting
large, global entities, including Colonial Pipeline, insurance
giant AXA and computer giant Acer. Although we haven’t seen
ransomware attacks change drastically, they remain the most
lucrative e-crime business model. Some of the most prevalent
ransomware variants used during 2021 include Conti, DarkSide,
LockBit, and Revil.

Windows Vulnerabilities

Security professionals know that Windows vulnerabilities are,
have been, and will continue to be a problem for every company that
uses this OS. However, 2021 saw a concentration of critical
vulnerabilities that impacted many Windows components, including
Exchange server, kernel, print spooler, MSHTML, access control
lists (ACL), and others. Will this continue into 2022?

Crypto Currencies

With the price of Bitcoin reaching $68,000 during 2021,
cybercriminals naturally saw an opportunity too good to ignore.
Cryptocurrency attacks mostly focused on cryptojacking,
compromising systems to mine currencies without the knowledge or
permission of the infected host. A successful cryptojacking attack
on only 100 endpoints can cost the victim $25,000 annually in
electricity alone. Cynet will share an overview of several
cryptojacking attacks that took place during 2021.

Supply Chain Attacks

Attacks on software supply chains increased by a whopping 650%
during 2021 as threat actors wreaked havoc by infiltrating
open-source software. Cybercriminals are setting their sites on
open-source software, as exhibited by an exponential increase of
vulnerabilities exposed year over year. With over 90% of
organizations relying on open-source software, significant security
and legal risk is introduced.

What To Expect in 2022

Cynet will provide their unique perspective on the attacks that
will likely unfold over the coming year. The increase in the
approaches listed above shows no signs of abating. Cynet expects
the Russian attack on Ukraine to unleash a new set of attack
campaign tools that will make their way into the wild and will
certainly be harnessed by cybercriminals globally. Cynet will
provide insights and recommendations to help companies face the
range of attacks expected over the next year.

Register to the webinar here^[2].