Bad Actors Increase Focus on Cloud Services, Encryption

Malware sophistication is increasing as adversaries begin to weaponize cloud services and evade detection through encryption, which is being used as a tool to conceal command-and-control activity. That’s according to the Cisco 2018 Annual Cybersecurity Report (ACR). It also found that while encryption is meant to enhance security, the expanded volume of encrypted web traffic (50% as of October 2017) – both legitimate and malicious – has created more challenges for defenders trying to identify and monitor potential threats. Cisco threat researchers observed more than a threefold increase in encrypted network communication used by inspected malware samples over a 12-month period. “Last year’s evolution of malware demonstrates that our adversaries continue to learn,” said John Stewart, senior vice president and chief security and trust officer at Cisco. “We have to raise the bar now – top-down leadership, business-led technology investments and practice effective security – there is too much risk, and it is up to us to reduce it.”