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Cybercrime Trends We Can Expect to See in the New Year

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By Marissa Bergen 
Contributor, InCyberDefense

As 2019 approaches, we would like to believe that cybercrime is becoming less of a problem. Unfortunately, that is anything but the truth.

As cybercrimes continue to increase, cybersecurity professionals can only tighten their security measures to thwart these attacks. With that goal in mind, here are some cybersecurity trends we can expect to see in the coming year.

Data Theft Becoming Data Manipulation

In the past, cyber thieves were content to commit data theft. Now, we can expect to see more attacks on data integrity.   These attacks will result in long-term damage to the reputations and livelihoods of the individuals or groups that become victims of these crimes.

Demand for Cybersecurity Skills Will Increase

An increase in cybersecurity attacks might be good news for jobseekers with the skills and knowledge to deal with threat actors. Trends in the new year will include an increased demand for cybersecurity skills and insourcing internal security training. New job titles, such as Chief Cybercrime Officer (CCO), may also appear in the workplace.

Cyber Risk Insurance Will Become More Common

Not only will there be more companies getting on board with cyber risk insurance, but insurance companies will offer packages tailored to business needs. Loss of revenue, loss of goodwill and trust, and costs for security improvements and upgrades are all features that could be included in insurance packages.

Attackers Will Target Consumer Devices

With ransomware still a popular cyber threat, we can expect to see more attacks on consumer devices. These attacks might involve Internet of Things (IoT) devices in toys designed for children as well as smart TVs.

Attackers Will Get Bolder and Smarter, Creating Hard-to- Defeat Breaches

In 2019, cyber criminals will grow bolder and harder to defeat. Some may even set up their own call centers in countries where cybercrime is not considered a serious criminal activity.

Many experts also expect to see improvements in criminals’ ability to write targeted code. Criminals will continue to exploit the Dark Web and its Deep Web subset to hide and to communicate with other criminals.

We can also expect more complex breaches that are harder for cybersecurity professionals to defeat. For example, new types of ransomware that use an innovative system to beat infections have already been discovered.

This type of ransomware uses a “pyramid scheme” style discount that encourages victims to pass on links containing malware. Victims who open these links will have their files decrypted, putting proprietary information at risk for exploitation.

Cybersecurity Professionals Will Be Constantly Challenged

Unfortunately, the cybersecurity forecast seems bleak when it comes to cybercrime in 2019. Hopefully, the security measures being taken to protect organizations and individuals will be effective in keeping cybercrime under control. However, the need to increase cybersecurity measures shows the sad state of current security precautions when you consider the amount of dishonesty prevalent on the World Wide Web.

About the Author

Marissa Bergen is a freelance writer from Brooklyn, New York. Passionate about everything from fashion to technology, her writing experience has increased her awareness of digital marketing, cybersecurity and the ever-expanding World Wide Web. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Google her to find out more about her writing and her other life as a bass player in her family band, The CheeseBergens.

Get started on your cybersecurity degree at American Military University.

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