According to SANS Institute, this top-5 consists of the following components:
Excessive authorization in cloud and SaaS environments
As more organizations move to the cloud, the complexity of identity and access management also increases. Authorizations where users have excessive or duplicate rights in cloud, SaaS, and hybrid environments pose a vulnerability. Too many privileges create (hidden) entry points that attackers can exploit unnoticed.
ICS ransomware
Ransomware attackers are increasingly targeting the foundations of critical infrastructure. When organizations automate their operational technology (OT) to increase efficiency and reduce human error, manual recovery options for system failures often disappear. This leads to failure points that attackers can exploit to disrupt essential services. The gap between IT and OT teams exacerbates the problem.
Physical ICS attacks
State-sponsored hackers are increasingly targeting ICS systems with the aim of physical attacks. They manipulate critical safety systems to cause damage in the real world, often through highly technical vulnerabilities that fall outside the scope of standard monitoring. The ongoing evolution of ICS threats necessitates a strategic shift in the defense of critical infrastructures.
Removing traces
Advanced attackers deliberately erase forensic traces or avoid creating them. This significantly complicates post-incident investigations. Without forensic data, analyses are delayed, and it becomes harder to determine how a breach occurred (and how widespread it is).
AI-related compliance risks
Artificial intelligence plays an increasingly significant role in cybersecurity but also introduces a new area of risk: regulations. While AI is used to identify threats, new privacy laws may classify AI-driven monitoring as unauthorized data processing. These legal tensions put defenders at a disadvantage while attackers continue to use AI for advanced attacks.
"Cybersecurity is not just the responsibility of the Security Operations Center; it is an issue that affects every part of the organization,” says Rob Lee, SANS Chief of Research and Fellow Instructor. "The threats of tomorrow require a strategic, integrated approach based on visibility, flexibility, and collaboration between departments."
About SANS Institute
SANS Institute was founded in 1989 as a cooperative research and training organization. SANS is today the most valued and by far the largest source for cybersecurity training and certifications for security professionals within governments and commercial institutions worldwide. Renowned SANS instructors offer more than 60 different courses online and live during over 200 cybersecurity training events.
Additionally, SANS professionals develop and maintain the largest collection of research documents in the field of information security, which is freely accessible. SANS Institute also manages 'the Internet Storm Center', the international alert system for cyber threats. The many security specialists representing diverse global organizations who collaborate to assist the infosecurity community form the core of SANS Institute.
For more information: www.sans.org.
