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Key Trends in Sophos 2022 Threat Report
Sophos, a global leader in next-generation cybersecurity, on Wednesday published the Sophos 2022 Threat Report, which shows how the gravitational force of ransomware’s black hole is pulling in other cyberthreats to form one massive, interconnected ransomware delivery system – with significant implications for IT security.
The report, written by SophosLabs security researchers, Sophos Managed Threat Response threat hunters and rapid responders, and the Sophos AI team, provides a unique multi-dimensional perspective on security threats and trends facing organizations in 2022.
The Sophos 2022 Threat Report analyzes the following key trends:
1. Over the coming year, the ransomware landscape will become both more modular and more uniform, with attack “specialists” offering different elements of an attack “as-a-service” and providing playbooks with tools and techniques that enable different adversary groups to implement very similar attacks.
According to Sophos researchers, attacks by single ransomware groups gave way to more ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) offerings during 2021, with specialist ransomware developers focused on hiring out malicious code and infrastructure to third-party affiliates.
Some of the most high profile ransomware attacks of the year involved RaaS, including an attack against Colonial Pipeline in the U.S. by a DarkSide affiliate.
An affiliate of Conti ransomware leaked the implementation guide provided by the operators, revealing the step-by-step tools and techniques that attackers could use to deploy the ransomware.
Once they have the malware they need, RaaS affiliates and other ransomware operators can turn to Initial Access Brokers and malware delivery platforms to find and target potential victims. This is fueling the second big trend anticipated by Sophos.
2. Established cyberthreats will continue to adapt to distribute and deliver ransomware. These include loaders, droppers and other commodity malware; increasingly advanced, human-operated Initial Access Brokers; spam; and adware. In 2021, Sophos reported on Gootloader operating novel hybrid attacks that combined mass campaigns with careful filtering to pinpoint targets for specific malware bundles.
3. The use of multiple forms of extortion by ransomware attackers to pressure victims into paying the ransom is expected to continue and increase in range and intensity. In 2021, Sophos incident responders catalogued 10 different types of pressure tactics, from data theft and exposure, to threatening phone calls, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, and more.
4. Cryptocurrency will continue to fuel cybercrimes such as ransomware and malicious cryptomining, and Sophos expects the trend will continue until global cryptocurrencies are better regulated. During 2021, Sophos researchers uncovered cryptominers such as Lemon Duck and the less common, MrbMiner, taking advantage of the access provided by newly reported vulnerabilities and targets already breached by ransomware operators to install cryptominers on computers and servers.
“Ransomware thrives because of its ability to adapt and innovate,” said Chester Wisniewski, principal research scientist at Sophos. “For instance, while RaaS offerings are not new, in previous years their main contribution was to bring ransomware within the reach of lower-skilled or less well-funded attackers.
This has changed and, in 2021, RaaS developers are investing their time and energy in creating sophisticated code and determining how best to extract the largest payments from victims, insurance companies, and negotiators. They’re now offloading to others the tasks of finding victims, installing and executing the malware, and laundering the pilfered cryptocurrencies.
This is distorting the cyberthreat landscape, and common threats, such as loaders, droppers, and Initial Access Brokers that were around and causing disruption well before the ascendancy of ransomware, are being sucked into the seemingly all-consuming ‘black hole’ that is ransomware.
“It is no longer enough for organizations to assume they’re safe by simply monitoring security tools and ensuring they are detecting malicious code. Certain combinations of detections or even warnings are the modern equivalent of a burglar breaking a flower vase while climbing in through the back window.
“Defenders must investigate alerts, even ones which in the past may have been insignificant, as these common intrusions have blossomed into the foothold necessary to take control of entire networks.”
Additional trends Sophos analyzed include:
· After the ProxyLogon and ProxyShell vulnerabilities were discovered (and patched) in 2021, the speed at which they were seized upon by attackers was such that Sophos expects to see continued attempts to mass-abuse IT administration tools and exploitable internet facing services by both sophisticated attackers and run-of-the-mill cybercriminals
· Sophos also expects cybercriminals to increase their abuse of adversary simulation tools, such as Cobalt Strike Beacons, mimikatz and PowerSploit. Defenders should check every alert relating to abused legitimate tools or combination of tools, just as they would check a malicious detection, as it could indicate the presence of an intruder in the network
· In 2021, Sophos researchers detailed a number of new threats targeting Linux systems and expect to see a growing interest in Linux-based systems during 2022, both in the cloud and on web and virtual servers
· Mobile threats and social engineering scams, including Flubot and Joker, are expected to continue and diversify to target both individuals and organizations
· The application of artificial intelligence to cybersecurity will continue and accelerate, as powerful machine learning models prove their worth in threat detection and alert prioritization. At the same time, however, adversaries are expected to make increasing use of AI, progressing over the next few years from AI-enabled disinformation campaigns and spoof social media profiles to watering-hole attack web content, phishing emails and more as advanced deepfake video and voice synthesis technologies become available
To learn more about the threat landscape in 2021 and what this means for IT security in 2022, read the full Sophos 2022 Threat Report.
Additional content for the Sophos 2022 Threat Report:
· Video of the headline findings, presented by Chester Wisniewski, principal research scientist, Sophos
· An article on SophosLabs Uncut recapping the report sections
· A Sophos News opinion piece by Wisniewski on the ransomware turf wars
· A Naked Security article introducing the report
IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count has announced a strategic partnership with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy (FMACCE) to support the digitization of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
This collaboration aims to make Nigeria’s historical artifacts, artworks, and cultural monuments more accessible to the public through a digital museum.
The partnership between IHS Nigeria, NCMM, and FMACCE will leverage technologies to digitalize and display artifacts online, helping to preserve and showcase Nigeria’s cultural heritage. It marks a significant step towards modernizing the preservation and dissemination of Nigeria’s cultural assets, making them more accessible to a broader audience.
The digital museum is the first significant project under the Honorable Minister’s Digital Culture Initiative and is designed to provide a platform for the exploration and appreciation of Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage. This partnership underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to sustainability and its role in helping foster cultural preservation and digital education.
Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, “We are excited to partner with the National Council for Museums and Monuments and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy on this groundbreaking initiative. As a company deeply rooted in Nigeria, we recognize the importance of preserving, protecting, and promoting our cultural heritage.
“This partnership also aligns with our commitment to sustainability, education, economic growth, and community development. We look forward to contributing to the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural legacy”.
Hannatu Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, commented, “We are delighted to partner with IHS Nigeria on this initiative which aligns with His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and our Ministry’s 8-point plan on fostering strategic partnerships.
“I am particularly pleased that this initiative, which is the first significant project under our Digital Culture Initiative, embodies our commitment to innovation, global partnerships, and the sustainable growth of our creative industries, positioning Nigeria as a leader on the global stage.”
Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, commented, “We are grateful to IHS Nigeria for their support in this remarkable initiative.
“We believe that to keep ahead of current trends and appeal to a younger demographic, it is imperative that a digital experience of our rich cultural heritage is created and made available to the public.
“The digital museum will serve as an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and the general public, both in Nigeria and around the world, and will play a crucial role in the preservation of our national heritage.”
In a significant escalation of its antitrust battle against Google, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, November 20, urged a federal judge to break up the tech giant by ordering the sale of its widely used Chrome browser.
The DOJ also called for an end to Google’s agreements to be the default search engine on smartphones and proposed measures to prevent it from leveraging its Android operating system to dominate the market.
The DOJ suggested that if these remedies fail, Google should be compelled to divest Android entirely. The proposals mark one of the most aggressive antitrust moves against a major tech company in decades, with regulators seeking to curtail Google’s alleged abuse of its market power.
Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, criticized the filing, accusing the DOJ of pursuing a “radical interventionist agenda.” Walker warned that the proposed breakup would disrupt Google’s product ecosystem, harm innovation in artificial intelligence, and threaten America’s global technological leadership.
This case represents a historic shift in the US government’s approach to regulating tech companies, following decades of relative inaction since the failed attempt to break up Microsoft in the early 2000s.
Google is set to respond in a filing next month, with a hearing scheduled for April before Judge Amit Mehta. The judge’s August ruling declared Google a monopoly, setting the stage for this next phase of the legal battle. Any decision is likely to be appealed, potentially taking years to resolve and possibly reaching the US Supreme Court.
The case’s future could also hinge on political changes, as President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration may take a different approach to antitrust enforcement. Trump has previously criticized Google for alleged bias against conservatives but has also expressed skepticism about breaking up major tech companies.
The DOJ’s proposals come amid broader efforts to address the dominance of big tech, with five antitrust cases currently pending against Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Google. These cases, brought under the Biden administration, are expected to shape the regulatory landscape for years to come.
Dubai Racing Club (DRC) has named Zoho Corporation, a leading global technology company, as its exclusive technology partner for the next two years.
This partnership will focus on digitising DRC’s operations, with the aim of enhancing the club’s high-profile events and ensuring a seamless, world-class experience for visitors, participants, and staff.
The announcement was made during a signing ceremony at Meydan Racecourse, attended by His Excellency Ali Al Ali, CEO and Board Member of the Dubai Racing Club, and Prem Anand Velumani, Associate Director of Strategic Alliances, MEA at Zoho.
As the organiser of major events, including the prestigious Dubai World Cup, the DRC will leverage Zoho’s comprehensive suite of digital solutions through Zoho One, the operating system for businesses, to streamline key operations.
By implementing Zoho One, the club will enhance various aspects of its event management, from ticketing and sales to logistics and customer relationship management (CRM).
HE Al Ali commented on the partnership: “We are pleased to welcome Zoho as our official technology partner this season.
“Technology is a cornerstone of our long-term vision for the Dubai Racing Club and the continued development of the horse racing industry.
“Zoho brings a wealth of expertise, and we look forward to collaborating with their team to create tailored solutions for our clients. From sophisticated CRM systems and streamlined accreditation processes to innovative mobile applications designed to enhance the experience for horse owners and racegoers, we are focused on setting new benchmarks for excellence.
“This partnership brings us one step closer to establishing Meydan as one of the most technologically advanced racecourses globally.”
The DRC will leverage Zoho’s web and mobile applications to improve accessibility and communication across platforms.
Zoho CRM will play a pivotal role in managing ticketing and sales, offering a seamless and personalised experience for attendees.
Zoho’s apps will also support critical operational functions such as accreditation, simulcasting, parking and barricade management, and order management, all of which will be fully digitised to enhance accessibility and efficiency.
“We are thrilled to be the exclusive technology partner of the Dubai Racing Club, an iconic institution that plays a central role in global equestrian sports,” said Prem Anand Velumani, MEA at Zoho.
“This partnership presents an exciting opportunity to demonstrate how Zoho’s comprehensive suite of solutions can support DRC’s operations and its commitment to excellence.
“By utilising Zoho’s customisable tools, DRC will be able to digitise and optimise critical operations, driving greater collaboration, agility, and a seamless guest experience.
“We are proud to help position the DRC at the forefront of digital transformation in the regional and global equestrian sports industry.”
Zoho’s solutions will also streamline guest and VIP stand management, ensuring a smooth experience for high-profile visitors.
Zoho’s apps will assist with venue navigation, while an all-in-one analytics dashboard will provide the DRC’s internal team with real-time data to evaluate performance and track ROI across all operational areas.
This integrated approach will allow the DRC to optimise its event management processes and deliver an exceptional experience for participants, staff, and guests alike.
The two-year partnership will see the DRC fully harness Zoho’s suite of solutions to drive digital transformation across all aspects of its operations.
As the club continues to grow, Zoho’s innovative digital solutions will play a pivotal role in ensuring the optimisation and success of every operational facet—from event coordination to customer engagement.
Known for hosting some of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world, the DRC attracts audiences and participants from around the world.
The Dubai Racing Club’s next meeting at the Meydan Racecourse is scheduled for November 22, 2024.
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