Kaspersky Global Research and Analyses Team (GReAT) experts project a focus on the evolution of Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) for 2024.
“In 2023, the notable surge in the availability of AI tools didn’t elude the attention of advanced malicious actors engaged in extensive and highly sophisticated campaigns.
However, we anticipate that upcoming trends go beyond AI implications, including new methods for conducting supply chain attacks, the emergence of hack-for-hire services, novel exploits for consumer devices, and more,” says Igor Kuznetsov, director, Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) at Kaspersky.
Projections for 2024
1. AI-powered impersonation: Emerging AI tools will empower phishers as they mimic specific individuals. Malicious players may feed LLMs with online data to impersonate the writing styles of those connected to their victims.
2. State-sponsored cyberattacks and hacktivism: State-sponsored cyberattack numbers may threaten data theft or encryption, IT infrastructure destruction, long-term espionage, and cyber sabotage.
Hacktivism may stir up geopolitical tensions by spreading false information, leading to unnecessary investigations and subsequent alert fatigue of SOC analysts and cybersecurity researchers.
3. Supply chain attacks as a service: Supply chain attacks may continue and new developments in dark web access market activities related to supply chains will enable large-scale attacks.
4. Hack-for-hire services: Hack-for-hire groups will emerge to provide data theft services to clients.
5. Kernel rootkits : Windows kernel attacks, enabled by WHCP abuses will grow in 2024. The underground market for EV certificates and stolen code signing certificates is poised to escalate.
6. Managed File Transfer (MFT) systems used for advanced attacks: Managed File Transfer (MFT) systems face escalating cyber threats, exemplified by the 2023 breaches of MOVEit and GoAnywhere.