Addressing mobile momentum
The explosion in mobile device popularity presents a tough challenge also.
According to Check Point’s global survey of more than 700 businesses; 42 percent had suffered mobile security incidents costing more than US$250,000 to remediate - and 82 percent expected incidents to rise during 2015.
“Considering the direct access to assets like passwords, email, documents and company networks and applications, smart security practitioners will make mobile security a top priority,” Hansen claims.
Managing mobile payment security
While some mobile payment solutions like Apple Pay, Google Wallet and PayPal offer multiple layers of security involving tokenisation and encryption, Hansen believes not all of these systems have been thoroughly tested to withstand real-world threats.
“It’s a safe bet that attackers will be searching out vulnerabilities to exploit,” he predicts.
Critical Infrastructure attacks
Nearly 70 percent of critical infrastructure companies surveyed by the Ponemon Institute suffered a security breach over the last year.
“Unfortunately we can probably expect more cyber attacks on public utilities and key industrial processes in 2015, namely through malware that targets the SCADA systems that control those processes,” Hansen says.
Dangerous devices
The Internet of Things is an exciting trend, according to Hansen, but these IP-based appliances often provide criminals with unsecured networks.
“Consider also the security implications of wearable tech and companion devices that connect to tablets and smartphones,” he asks.
“Are companies prepared to mitigate the risk of employees wearing Google Glass or the Apple Watch?”
In summary, Hansen believes the evidence is clear - criminals are everywhere, relentless and are evolving.
“But by implementing a multi-layer threat prevention, leveraging a robust threat intelligence network for real-time prevention, and gaining greater visibility through security management, organisations can ensure they are best protected against any potential vulnerability in 2015,” he adds.