Intel: Cyber Attacks to Target Firmware, Hardware, Cloud Services in 2016

A new report from Intel predicts that cyber threat actors will likely cause attacks on firmware and hardware, wearable devices that store personal data, cloud services as well as automobile systems in 2016.

The McAfee Labs Threat Predictions Report also forecasts the growth of ransomware driven by the adoption of ransomware-as-a-service offerings by cybercriminals and the launch of an integrity attack on the financial industry over the next year, Intel said Tuesday.

“Keeping pace with, anticipating and preempting adversaries requires that we match the intelligence exchange, cloud computing and delivery power, platform agility, and human resource assets that cybercriminals regularly leverage,” said Vincent Weafer, vice president of McAfee Labs at Intel.

The report noted that threat intelligence data sharing efforts among companies and government agencies will accelerate in 2016.

McAfee Labs also highlighted cyber threat challenges in the next five years, including threat actors’ use of sophisticated methods to avoid detection and adoption of cyberespionage malware for intelligence gathering operations in the financial sector.

“To win battles against future threats, organizations must see more, learn more, detect and respond faster, and fully utilize all the technical and human resources at their disposal,” Weafer added.