Check Point Software’s Cyber-security Predictions For 2021: Securing the ‘Next Normal’

Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading provider of cyber-security solutions globally, has released its cyber-security predictions for 2021; detailing the key security challenges that organizations will face over the next year.

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Check Point states that the effects of the changes introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to be a key focus for organizations’ IT and security teams. 81% of enterprises have adopted mass remote working for their employees, with 74% planning to enable it permanently. The company is also warning of emerging ransomware and botnet threats, and the challenges of securing new 5G networks and the explosion in connected devices it will power.

“The COVID-19 pandemic derailed business-as-usual for virtually every organization, forcing them to set aside their existing business and strategic plans, and quickly pivot to delivering secure remote connectivity at massive scale for their workforces. Security teams also had to deal with escalating threats to their new cloud deployments, as hackers sought to take advantage of the pandemic’s disruption: 71% of security professionals reported an increase in cyber-threats since lockdowns started,” said Dr. Dorit Dor, Vice President of Products at Check Point Software Technologies.

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“One of the few predictable things about cyber-security is that threat actors will always seek to take advantage of major events or changes – such as COVID-19, or the introduction of 5G – for their own gain. To stay ahead of threats, organizations must be proactive and leave no part of their attack surface unprotected or unmonitored, or they risk becoming the next victim of sophisticated, targeted attacks.”

Check Point’s cyber-security predictions for 2021 are broken down into three categories: COVID-19 related developments; malware, privacy and cyber-conflicts; and emerging 5G and IoT platforms.

Pandemic-related developments :

• Securing the ‘next normal’: In 2021, Covid-19 will still be impacting our lives, businesses and societies, and those impacts will change as the year progresses. So we need to be ready for a series of ‘next normals’ as we respond to those changes. Following the rush to remote working, organizations need to better secure their new distributed networks and cloud deployments to keep their applications and data protected. This means enforcing and automating threat prevention at all points of the network – from employees’ mobiles and endpoints, to IoT devices, to clouds – to stop advanced attacks from spreading rapidly across organizations, and exploiting weaknesses to breach sensitive data. Automating prevention will be critical, as 78% of organizations say they have a cyber-skills shortage.
• No cure for COVID – related exploits: As COVID-19 will continue to dominate headlines, news of vaccine developments or new national restrictions will continue to be used in phishing campaigns, as they have been through 2020. The pharma companies developing vaccines will also continue to be targeted by malicious attacks from criminals or nation-states looking to exploit the situation.
• School’s out – targeting remote learning: Schools and universities have pivoted to large-scale use of e-learning platforms, so perhaps it’s no surprise that the sector experienced a 30% increase in weekly cyber-attacks during the month of August, in the run up to the start of new semesters. Attacks will continue to disrupt remote learning activities over the coming year.

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