Better security needed: IoT malware attacks saw a 400% increase
According to Statista, the number of IoT cyberattacks worldwide exceeded 112 million last year. That's an incredible number, considering that in 2018 there were about 32 million. The attacks are intensifying in five years.
Their rapid spread is responsible for companies, industries, organizations, stores and many other ecosystems and networks of devices that remain exposed and unprotected and are consequently attacked and breached. Speaking in numbers, it is worth mentioning that within the period of just five years, attacks from 32 million shot up to 112 million per year.
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Correspondingly, however, research conducted by experts in data security and IoT is also increasing.
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What did Zscaler's research reveal?
The company Zscaler, a big name in the field of cybersecurity , and in its most recent project, investigated the IoT malware landscape in detail and shared the results of its research with the public.
Within 6 months, the duration of the research, he managed to identify, analyze and repel 300,000 attacks directed towards various IoT devices through the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform
This set of attacks is a key issue and concern for security on both digital and physical levels, as according to Zscaler: "this flexibility of hackers to maneuver from one network to another is likely to jeopardize production processes and threaten overall OT and IoT infrastructures , especially in the automotive, oil, plastics and heavy construction industries."
Unfortunately, victims who have previously suffered cyberattacks remain vulnerable to this day and are easy prey for hackers, entering a vicious cycle of attacks.
As Zscaler reported : “The Mirai and Gafyt malware family tree continues to account for 66% of attack payloads, creating botnets from previously infected IoT-connected devices, and consequently being used to launch attacks against profitable businesses.”
See also: Researchers uncover a thriving underground economy for malware targeting IoT devices
The focus of the victim ecosystem devices is on 3D printers, information collection terminals, location trackers, industrial sensors, payment terminals, and the most widely used multimedia systems used in cars.
Therefore, security levels should be taken into account and constantly strengthened. As we can all be affected. We are faced with a problem that affects us on a global scale. Of course, it is a common phenomenon that the final outcome of attacks is located in the USA, Mexico and other Latin American countries (3 of the 4 most malware-infected countries worldwide belong to Latin America).
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There are solutions
Deepen Desai, Global CISO and Head of Security Research at Zscaler, said: “These weak data security standards combined with the proliferation of shadowy networked devices in the IoT have been felt or even stigmatized by a multitude of organizations over the past few years. I recommend that they be more cautious and adhere to the fundamental principles of trust as much as possible by securing their OT and IoT connected devices. In addition, I always recommend that they validate and insist on their identification. I disagree with being suspicious, but they should be prepared and have made various assumptions for any “cracks” in their system. In no case should they stress but handle it calmly.”
Source: iotevolutionworld.com
