By Kevin Haley, Symantec Security Response
Whispers. The secret to predicting the future is to try to listen to the whispers.
When you hear things loud and clear, then the whispers have already come true. In 2013, I was listening intently to the whispers, so I know pretty well what we will all hear loud and clear in 2014. Here are my predictions for the top news stories we will hear in 2014 and what they will mean for us.
| • | People will finally start to take action and take steps to keep their information private. |
| • | Scammers, data collectors, and cybercriminals will not ignore any social network, even if it is obscure or targeted to a specific audience. |
| • | The "Internet of Things" is turning into the "Internet of Vulnerabilities.". |
| • | Mobile apps will prove that it's possible to like yourself too much. |
"Wait a minute... Does the internet know more about me than my own mother?"
People will finally start to take action and take steps to keep their information private.
Privacy issues were in the headlines in 2013, waking up people and businesses to how much personal information we share and how it’s being collected every day by everyone from your doctor to your social network. So it’s only natural to see privacy protections as a feature in new and existing products. And then, after 2014, we’ll be arguing about whether those features actually provide privacy protection. You can expect Tor, which enables online anonymity, to become a popular app for all kinds of internet users. You’ll also see a resurgence of users adopting pseudonyms and fake names on social networking sites to protect their privacy. And you know who’s leading the way? Teenagers. They really care about privacy—and not just their parents. Given this, more and more people will move to new, emerging social networking sites and niche sites in an attempt to be with their friends without being seen. And that leads to my next prediction…
"Adult supervision is not desirable. However, adult behavior can save you from trouble."
Scammers, data collectors, and cybercriminals will not ignore any social network, even if it is obscure or targeted to a specific audience.
It’s tempting to think you can move to a new neighborhood and all your troubles will disappear. In real life, they don’t disappear, but they don’t disappear on social media either. Any new social network that attracts users will also attract scammers and con artists. Users who think it’s just them and their friends on these new sites are in for a big (and unpleasant) surprise. Your mother won’t be there to remind you. So let me do it: If something seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Protect yourself by using security best practices no matter where you are on the internet or how you connect. And speaking of connections…
"Your toaster wasn't infected, but your security camera just caught you."
The "Internet of Things" is turning into the "Internet of Vulnerabilities.".
You can expect stupid things to get smarter in 2014. With millions of devices connected to the internet – and in many cases with an embedded operating system – in 2014, they will be a magnet for hackers. Security researchers have already documented attacks on smart TVs, medical equipment and security cameras. We’ve already seen attacks on baby monitors and traffic in a major tunnel in Israel brought to a standstill by hackers who reportedly broke into computer systems through a security camera system. Big software companies have figured out how to notify their customers and obtain patches for vulnerabilities. Companies that make internet-connected gadgets don’t even realize they’re facing an impending security problem. These systems aren’t just vulnerable to attack – they also lack methods for notifying consumers and businesses when vulnerabilities are discovered. Even worse, they don't have a user-friendly way to patch these new vulnerabilities. Given this, we're going to see new threats in ways we've never seen before.
"Your toaster wasn't infected, but your security camera just caught you."
Mobile apps will prove that it's possible to like yourself too much.
People (generally) trust those they sleep with. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that since 48 percent of people sleep with their smartphones, they’re lulled into a (false) sense of security about them. In 2013, we reported on a mobile app that would guarantee extra “likes” for your Instagram posts. All you had to do was give your username and password to some guy in Russia. Over 100,000 people didn’t think that was a bad thing. We trust our mobile devices and the great apps that run on them to make our lives better. We suspend our distrust of the device in our pocket, our bag, or our nightstand. The bad guys will take full advantage of that in 2014. I’m not even talking about malware – in 2014, mobile apps will be at the heart of all sorts of pranks, scams, and tricks. So those are my predictions for 2014. Of course, the best thing about trying to predict the future is the surprise of the unexpected and the unimaginable. Some of my predictions will turn out to be right. Some of them will turn out to be wrong. I’ll certainly keep an eye out for all the new whispers to see what 2015 brings.
https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/2014-predictions-symantec
Source: secnews.gr
