There is no doubt that email is a widely used means of communication both by private users as well as by companies and organizations. There are many providers that offer us the possibility of creating an account and being able to send and receive emails. However, the fact that it is so widely used also makes hackers set their sights here. In this article we are going to talk about the predictions of threats and security problems in e-mail for 2021.
Email security threat predictions
Cybercriminals constantly refine their attacks. They always look for a way to achieve their goal and thus bypass security measures or deceive the victim through resources and strategies. Attacks against email are very present and there are also many techniques that they can use.
Most Innovative Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are very present through email. It is a method widely used by hackers to steal passwords and deceive the victim through different strategies.
Next year they will continue to be very present, but they will also be more innovative. They will look more and more real, using very popular company brands and widely used services, such as streaming platforms or electronic commerce.
Short-lived domains
Over time, security tools, as well as email providers have learned to block certain addresses that may be fraudulent. These are emails that are simply used to send spam, for example. Once they learn the mechanism of action, they recognize a mail domain, they can block it as they consider it insecure.
However, the trend is that hackers are increasingly using email domains of shorter duration. This allows them to constantly change direction and have a better chance of circumventing security measures. This can be achieved thanks to the low cost that a domain has today. They could use single-use Phishing domains.
More targeted attacks
This is another trend that has been very present in recent times. Phishing attacks are no longer as generic as they used to be. Now we can come across what is also known as Spear Phishing. They are aimed at a specific user, since they use their name, for example. The objective is none other than to try to appear more real.
This partly ties in with single-use domains as well, which can be created specifically for a campaign type. In addition, the fact that an email arrives addressed to the name of the victim will have a greater chance of opening it.
Less ransomware
According to security researcher Dan Fein of Darktrace, ransomware via email is going to lose importance. The attackers are going to focus on other methods to put at risk especially those who work remotely.
Ransomware has been and is a type of attack aimed at achieving financial gain through cyber attacks. They have put many companies at risk, as well as public centers such as a hospital. However, by 2021, ransomware through user-oriented email will decrease in favor of other attacks.
Attacks targeting teleworkers
Without a doubt, teleworking has gained a lot of importance in recent months. Everything related to the Covid-19 pandemic has brought important changes to society and that is also reflected in the way we work.
Cybercriminals have also set their sights on this ever-expanding sector of society. They have sought attack techniques to steal information, for example. Here, email will play an important role in 2021, so these security aspects must be taken care of.
In short, these are going to be some keys for 2021 and email security. We must always keep our equipment and systems safe.
