The cyber threats and trends that will dominate going into 2023

It might still be a bit early to begin thinking about next year, but new research from Intel 471 analyzes recent and commonly used tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) that have been adopted by prominent threat actors.

It also looks at how these threats have affected enterprises, along with predictive intelligence assessments on threats that organizations should be prepared to thwart over the next year.

"It is important to not only draw attention to the TTPs commonly used by the most capable threat actors but also to provide rich context for how these TTPs can impact organizations at every stage of the cyberattack chain, and how they can be countered by tactical defenders and senior decision makers," says Intel 471 chief intelligence officer, Michael DeBolt. "The findings of our latest research will help arm organizations with the adversary, credential, malware and vulnerability intelligence they need to refine their cyber defense strategy, adjust their security practices and prepare for 2023."

The report predicts the threat landscape will continue to be shaped by an increase in ransomware attacks and a demand for network access, that threat actors will persist in capitalizing on security vulnerabilities and that hacktivism will likely remain a threat.

It notes that vulnerabilities have reduced in quantity whilst increasing in severity as prominent ransomware groups such as LockBit continue to offer evolving products with targeted services. World events have also shaped the threat landscape this year, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine acting as a catalyst for further polarization of the underground.

Use of information-stealers is set to continue into 2023 as well. Since the beginning of 2022, there has been a substantial uptick in offerings when compared to the same period of 2021.

"With the constant evolution throughout the cyber threat landscape and resilience that threat actors continue to display, organizations need insights based on research and intelligence surrounding the most prominent threat actors to understand their activities and to stay ahead of the next attack," DeBolt adds. "Just as threat actors and groups are adjusting their methods to remain resilient against new and emerging security measures, organizations should be staying abreast of key TTPs employed by adversaries and adjusting their security systems based on that intelligence to tackle new and refined ways of being compromised."

You can get the full report from the Intel 471 site.

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