"Increased Cyber Attacks on Manufacturing, Medical, and Cloud Sectors Next Year"

SK Infosec to Announce '2021 Cyber Threat Outlook Report' on the 9th

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] As the demand for digital transformation in companies accelerates after the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), cyberattacks are expected to increase next year in the manufacturing, healthcare, and cloud computing sectors.

SK Infosec announced the '2021 Cyber Threat Outlook Report' on the 9th. The security expert group EQST identified the top five cyber threats likely to occur next year based on hacking incidents and threat data that occurred this year.

The five major cyber threats are ▲attacks targeting industrial control systems in the manufacturing sector ▲ransomware attacks bypassing defense systems ▲attacks targeting the digital healthcare sector ▲increased security elements in hybrid cloud environments ▲security threats exploiting the On-tact (online face-to-face) environment.

Hacking attacks on manufacturing facilities are expected to intensify next year. According to SK Infosec, intrusion incidents in the manufacturing sector accounted for 16.8% this year, receiving the most attacks among all industries. These were attacks targeting security vulnerabilities in manufacturing operations (OT), industrial control systems (ICS), and dedicated communication protocols. SK Infosec predicted, "As connections with external networks continue to increase to improve production efficiency, attacks on manufacturing facilities will also increase."

Ransomware was cited as the attack to be most wary of next year as well. Generally, ransomware attacks infiltrate internal systems, encrypt data, and then demand ransom. However, recently, tactics have become increasingly bold, such as threatening to disclose sensitive data like personal information externally. Attacks that bypass security solutions using virtual machines or Windows operating system (OS) programs have also emerged.

Security threats targeting the digital healthcare sector are also expected to increase. Many hospitals are introducing new non-face-to-face medical services triggered by COVID-19. However, it has been pointed out that hospitals are exposed to threats as access systems, various medical devices, and patient history and administration management systems are connected in a vulnerable state. Moreover, since patients' health information is traded at high prices on the dark web, the company forecasts an increase in cyberattacks targeting this data.

SK Infosec warned of security vulnerabilities arising as companies' work environments and IT infrastructures transition to On-tact and cloud computing. In particular, as the use of hybrid cloud increases in companies, the number of security management elements also rises, so the company emphasized the need to establish a thorough security system.

Kim Taehyung, head of EQST, said, "Due to the impact of COVID-19 this year, companies' digital transformation is rapidly progressing to ensure business continuity," adding, "Hackers look for attack opportunities at a fast pace even before we get accustomed to the new ICT environment, so digital transformation considering security is essential."