Last Updated on 04/03/2022 by Nidhi Khandelwal
With the COVID-19 epidemic continuing to have an influence on how we work, and maybe permanently changing it, cybercriminals have taken advantage of the distraction to launch new waves of cyberattacks.
Throughout 2021, we saw a surge in a variety of attack methods, some old and others novel. As expected, phishing and ransomware increased in popularity, but new attacks on supply networks and cryptocurrency drew our attention. We also noticed an increase in serious Windows vulnerabilities, demonstrating that no matter how many flaws are discovered, there will always be more.
As we approach 2022, we are witnessing new attacks stemming from the Ukraine crisis, which will very probably find their way into criminal attacks on global enterprises. Cybersecurity firm Cynet will present an in-depth overview of the high-profile attacks we saw in 2021 and provide advise to cybersecurity experts for 2022 in an upcoming webinar (register here).
The Most Dangerous Cyber Attacks in 2021
The top assault methods that impacted businesses around the world in 2021 are listed below.
primarily used Emotet, Dridex, TrickBot, BazarLoader, and a few others in 2021. It’s interesting to note that Emotet, which was taken down globally in 2020, reappeared in 2021 as the most hazardous malware utilised in phishing efforts.
We saw huge ransomware campaigns targeting large, multinational businesses in 2021, including Colonial Pipeline, AXA Insurance, and Acer Computer. Despite the fact that ransomware assaults haven’t changed much, they remain the most profitable e-crime business model. Conti, DarkSide, LockBit, and Revil are some of the most common ransomware strains in circulation in 2021.
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?
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.
Windows vulnerabilities are, have been, and will continue to be an issue for every firm that employs this operating system, according to security experts. However, serious vulnerabilities affecting numerous Windows components, including Exchange server, kernel, print spooler, MSHTML, access control lists (ACL), and others, were concentrated in 2021. Will this be the case in 2022?
Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies.
With the price of Bitcoin expected to reach $68,000 in 2021, thieves spotted an opportunity too good to pass up. Cryptojacking, or hacking computers to mine money without the knowledge or permission of the infected host, was the most common type of cryptocurrency attack. A successful cryptojacking assault on just 100 endpoints can cost the victim $25,000 in power per year. Cynet will provide a summary of a number of cryptojacking attacks that occurred in the year 2021.
