The threat landscape has changed drastically over the past year, with the emergence of a sophisticated cybercrime economy. This ecosystem has grown into a full-fledged industry, with a network of support services and a professional approach to operations. Just as IT vendors have moved to “as a service” models, so has the cyber ecosystem. Access brokers, ransomware, malware delivery, and other forms of cybercrime have lowered the barrier to entry for would-be hackers.
This trend is driven by criminal marketplaces where malware services can be purchased and stolen credentials and other data sold in bulk. Access brokers exploit vulnerabilities in software to gain access to hundreds of networks, which they then resell to other criminals. Often, the same misused access is sold multiple times. Ransomware providers and other attackers buy credentials and access to carry out higher-risk, higher-reward criminal activities.
Organizations must be prepared to face these new challenges. To learn more, download the Sophos 2023 Threat Report by filling out the form below.
