2023 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report: A Year of Evolution and Adaptation in Cybersecurity

January 2023 - The global cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with cybercriminals and nation-state actors employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to evade detection and achieve their goals. The 2023 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report presents the latest insights and outlook on the state of global cybersecurity, highlighting key trends, threats, and recommendations for organizations to stay ahead of the ever-changing threat landscape.

Key Findings and Trends

• Ransomware Remediation Challenges: Ransomware attacks continued to be a major concern in 2022, with many organizations struggling to detect, contain, and remediate these attacks. The report highlights the importance of having a robust incident response plan and ensuring that backups are secure and regularly tested.
• Sophisticated Nation-State Actors: Nation-state sponsored hacking groups, such as APT39 and APT33, demonstrated significant advances in their tactics, including the use of exploits and social engineering to gain initial access. Organizations must be prepared to detect and respond to these sophisticated threats.
• Increased Focus on Identity and Access Management: As the attack surface continues to expand, cybercriminals are exploiting weak identity and access management practices to gain unauthorized access. The report emphasizes the importance of implementing robust multi-factor authentication and limiting excessive privileges.
• Cloud and IoT Security Concerns: The increased adoption of cloud and IoT devices has created new attack vectors for cybercriminals. Organizations must prioritize securing these ecosystems and implementing robust vulnerability management practices.
• Web Application Attacks: Web application attacks, particularly those using exploitation of known vulnerabilities, continued to be a major concern. The report highlights the importance of regular vulnerability scanning and patching, as well as implementing web application firewalls.

Emerging Threats and Trends

• Supply Chain Attacks: Supply chain attacks, where attackers compromise third-party vendors or service providers, are expected to increase in 2023. Organizations must prioritize due diligence in their supply chain risk management practices.
• AI-powered Phishing: Phishing attacks using AI-powered emails and chatbots are expected to become more sophisticated, making it essential for organizations to implement robust email security and phishing prevention measures.
• Mobile Threats: Mobile devices, particularly those used for business purposes, are increasingly being targeted by cybercriminals. Organizations must implement robust mobile device management and security practices.

Recommendations and Best Practices

• Patch Early, Patch Often: Regularly patching vulnerabilities is critical to preventing exploitation by cybercriminals.
• Implement Robust Multi-Factor Authentication: Using strong password policies and implementing multi-factor authentication can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
• Conduct Regular Penetration Testing: Regular penetration testing can help identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses before they are exploited by cybercriminals.
• Stay Up-to-Date with Threat Intelligence: Staying informed about the latest threats and TTPs is essential for organizations to stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape.

Conclusion

The 2023 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report highlights the importance of staying vigilant and proactive in the face of an ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. By understanding the latest threats and trends, organizations can take steps to mitigate risk, improve incident response, and ensure the security and integrity of their data and systems.