Trend Micro predicts that remote and cloud-based systems will be ruthlessly targeted next year

HONGKONG SAR - Media OutReach - 9 December 2020 - Trend MicroIncorporated ( TYO: 4704 ; TSE: 4704 ), the leader in cloud security, predicts that home networks, remote workingsoftware and cloud systems will be at the center of a new wave of attacks in2021.

TrendMicro's predictions report, Turningthe Tide , forecaststhat cybercriminals in 2021 will particularly look to home networks as acritical launch pad to compromising corporate IT and IoT networks.

"As we begin to enter a post-pandemicworld, the trend for remote working is likely going to stick for manyorganizations. We predict more aggressive attacks to target corporate data andnetworks," said T ony Lee, Head of Consulting, Hong Kong and Macau,at TrendMicro. "Security teams will need to double down on user training, extendeddetection and response and adaptive access controls. This past year was allabout surviving: now it's time for businesses to thrive, with comprehensivecloud security as their foundation."

The report warns that end users whoregularly access sensitive data (e.g. HR professionals accessing employee data,sales managers working with sensitive customer information, or seniorexecutives managing confidential company numbers) will be at greatest risk.Attacks will likely exploit known vulnerabilities in online collaboration andproductivity software soon after they are disclosed, rather than zero-days.

Access-as-a-service business models ofcybercrime will grow, targeting the home networks of high-value employees,corporate IT and IoT networks. IT security teams will need to overhaul workfrom home policies and protections to tackle the complexity of hybridenvironments -- where work and personal data comingle in a single machine.Zero-trust approaches will increasingly be favored to empower and securedistributed workforces.

As third-party integrations reign,Trend Micro also warned that exposed APIs will become a new preferred attackvector for cybercriminals, providing access to sensitive customer data, sourcecode and back-end services.

Cloud systems are another area inwhich threats will continue to persist in 2021, from unwitting users,misconfigurations, and attackers attempting to take over cloud servers todeploy malicious container images.

Trend Micro recommends the followingsteps to mitigate threats in 2021:

• Foster user education and training to extend corporatesecurity best practices to the home, including advice against the use ofpersonal devices
• Maintain strict access controls for both corporatenetworks and the home office, including zero trust
• Double down on best practice security and patch managementprograms
• Augment threat detection with security expertise to protectcloud workloads, emails, endpoints, networks, and servers round-the-clock

Cybercriminalswill continue to go where the money is -- seeking the greatest financial returnson their attacks. Organizations and security teams must remain nimble and vigilantto stay ahead of criminals.

Download the report here: https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/hk/security/research-and-analysis/predictions/2021. 

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, helps make theworld safe for exchanging digital information. Leveraging over 30 years ofsecurity expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, TrendMicro enables resilience for businesses, governments, and consumers withconnected solutions across cloud workloads, endpoints, email, IIoT, andnetworks. Our XGen™ security strategy powers our solutions with across-generational blend of threat-defense techniques that are optimized forkey environments and leverage shared threat intelligence for better, fasterprotection. With over 6,700 employees in 65 countries, and the world's mostadvanced global threat research and intelligence, Trend Micro enablesorganizations to secure their connected world www.trendmicro.com.hk.