Experian Predicts 2019’s Top Cyber Threats

Consumers may currently be thinking about how they can best protect themselves from cyber threats while shopping online during the holiday season, but insurers and risk managers are already looking ahead with hopes of mitigating threats that may emerge in the new year.

Recently, Experian® shared its sixth annual “Data Breach Industry Forecast,” which broaches such topics as cloud attacks and biometric hacking.

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​“Hackers have become very nimble at outsmarting protection measures,” Michael Bruemmer, Experian’s vice president of Data Breach Resolution, said in a press release. “Our predictions look at where hackers may go next to exploit vulnerabilities, so companies can safeguard themselves against these future threats.”

Here are Experian’s five data breach predictions for 2019:

1. Attackers will zero in on biometric hacking
   Attackers will zero in on biometric hacking and expose vulnerabilities in touch ID sensors, facial recognition and passcodes. Biometric data is considered the most secure method of authentication, but it can be stolen or altered, and sensors can be manipulated and spoofed or deteriorate with too much use
2. Next generation skimming on a national network
   Skimming is the next frontier for an enterprise-wide attack on a major financial institution’s national network, which could result in millions of losses. Credit card skimmers are hidden devices designed to steal card information and passcodes. Criminals are now going after bank networks – moving beyond attacking individual ATMs by loading malware into entire computer systems.
3. A major wireless carrier will be attacked
   A major wireless carrier will be attacked with a simultaneous effect on both iPhone and Android, stealing personal information from millions of consumers and possibly disabling all wireless communications in the United States. Similar to an attack on critical infrastructure, a serious disruption to a wireless network would halt the nation.
4.  A top cloud provider will suffer a breach
   It’s a matter of when, not if, a top cloud vendor will suffer a breach, compromising the sensitive information of major companies. The only question is how long it will take hackers to go to the cloud, affecting the world’s largest companies and potentially billions of pieces of data.
5. The online gaming community will be an emerging hacker surface
   The online gaming community will be an emerging hacker target, with cybercriminals posing as games and gaining access to the computers and personal data of trusting players. A cybercriminal can easily pose as a gamer or take over an avatar to infiltrate games and communities, stealing personal and credit card information and valuable game pieces and tokens.

​We now provide insurance for consumers and businesses for the following:

• Cyber Crime Coverage
• Reputational Damage Coverage from Cyber Event
• Computer Fraud and Funds Transfer Fraud

​Call me so we can discuss how to protect you and your business against cyber threats.

Have a safe and healthy New Year!