Data Manipulation Trending in 2019

As if it’s not bad enough that hackers are having a field day stealing our data, now they are manipulating it too.

In 2019, we can expect to see attackers changing their approach from pure data theft and website hacking to attacking data integrity itself using AI to manipulate and trick people.

10 Cyber trends to look for in 2019

I like to tell people it’s not a “when you get breached” scenario, it’s a when you get breached, how will you respond scenario? And now, we can add in another cyber violation: the manipulation of data integrity.

Data is the new global commodity, a highly valuable resource which impacts everything from business operations to government policy. Because of this, the risks associated with data theft are well known. Unfortunately, the dangers of hackers changing their methodology and choosing to manipulate data are only just becoming clear.

For most of us, consumers and businesses alike, “data integrity” is simply an assurance that our information can be accessed or modified only by authorized users. A data integrity attack compromises that promise, with the aim of gaining unauthorized access to modify data for criminal intent, either financial or reputational. For example, in 2016 the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) suffered a data integrity breach. Hackers stole and released the personal data of famous athletes to damage their reputations, but upon reviewing their archived data, WADA revealed that the data that had been leaked was manipulated.

Data integrity attacks have the power to destroy a companies reputation and more. Political agenda’s can alter entire elections. Stock manipulation and business fraud is a very real threat.  If a hacker owned stock in that particular business they could profit immensely. Even the power grid and other IoT systems from traffic lights to the water supply could be severely disrupted if the data they run on were to be altered. Possibly the biggest danger is that many of these “integrity breaches” could go sight unseen for years before the true damage reveals itself, if no data is stolen or leaked.

Tips to avoid becoming an easy victim of a data breach? 

• Assess and Know Your Data
  In order for a business to protect itself, it should first conduct a data audit or assessment to understand what data it has collected or produced and where the most sensitive parts of that data sit. It’s crucial for businesses to understand what they are trying to protect before they can even think about how to protect it.
• Implement a Two-factor Authentication Strategy
  An organization’s next step should be to focus on the adoption of strong two-factor authentication, which provides that extra layer of security should user IDs or passwords become compromised. This security measure involves having something they know and something they have, rather than just something they know i.e. a password.
• Encryption
  While two-factor authentication is there to help to stop information being taken in the first place, encryption provides the layer to stop customers’ sensitive data being used if it is accessed. Once a business understands where it’s most sensitive data sits, it must utilize encryption to protect this data wherever it is found. Whether this be on-premise, virtual, public cloud, or hybrid environments. More importantly, the traditional data security mind-set has to evolve, with companies needing to approach it with a presumption that perimeters will be breached and, as such, prepare the correct encryption necessary, to protect the most vital aspect, the data.
• Security Awareness Training
  In order to build trust, companies need to educate their workforce and their consumers on the steps they have taken to protect their data. And it doesn’t just end there. Businesses need to employ a two-pronged approach, educating both their employees and consumers on the steps they should also be taking to remain safe and protect their personal data themselves. This helps to build their understanding of how to protect the company’s data.

If you need assistance with a cybersecurity assessment or managed It Security Services give DarkHound SecOps a call at 714-463-6145 or contact us at [email protected].