Data Security Demands May Lead To Cryptocurrency Ban

Predicting the future is always an iffy proposition, writes Tara Seals, in Threatpost. Nevertheless, she gives it a try, forecasting evolving business models for cybercriminals who will become bolder and target a broader range of industries in 2021. They will still concentrate on the low-hanging fruit, but she expects more targeted attacks against both companies and industries that have not previously considered themselves at high risk. “This includes any organization outside the top five: Financial services, government, healthcare, higher education or the energy sector.” Ransomware will remain a big part of the attacker’s portfolio, but cybercriminals will continue to “add value” by stealing data before they encrypt it. This will be an increasingly big concern in healthcare, where attackers can use stolen patient records to blackmail patients by threatening to release medical histories. She also foresees a rough year for cryptocurrency, with legislation seeking to control, and possibly ban its use. On the bright side, evolving business models may make cybercriminals easier targets for law enforcement.