Why has the need for security increased?
Internet of thingsIoT) - concept of computing
The concept was formulated in 1999 asunderstanding the prospects for the widespread use of radio frequency identification tools for the interaction of physical objects with each other and with the external environment.
It is the rapidly expanding field of devices,Internet of Things (IoT), which includes smart TVs and home appliances, will become even more common as 5G networks become more affordable. This poses one of the biggest threats to the digital security of the future. To counter this, more and more companies are hiring “ethical hackers.”
Who hires hackers and why?
Ethical hacker or white hat hacker, as well asin network slang, “white hat” (from the English White hat) is a computer security specialist who specializes in testing protection systems against cyber threats. Unlike black hats, white hat hackers search for vulnerabilities on a voluntary basis or for a fee in order to help developers make their products more secure.
At a security conference recentlyorganized by Nokia, ethical hacker Keren Elazari said that recruiting hackers, many of whom are amateurs, to search for vulnerabilities "six to eight years ago was considered fashionable only in Silicon Valley."
But "bug bounty programs"now offered by organizations ranging from the Pentagon and banks like Goldman Sachs to airlines, tech giants and thousands of small and medium-sized businesses.
The rise of cyber attacks
Representatives of the largest search platformvulnerabilities in computer systems, HackerOne (which has 800,000 hackers) reported that its organization has paid out a record $44 million (more than 3 billion rubles) this year. This is an 87% increase over the previous 12 months.
“The work of just one full-time engineersecurity in London could cost a company $106,000 a year, while we give companies the chance to work with a global community of hundreds of thousands of hackers with a huge variety of skills,” Prash Somaiya, a security solutions architect at HackerOne, told AFP. — Criminals are finding more and more new and very clever ways to bypass security on digital devices.”
Somaya added that HackerOne now regularly sends internet-connected toys, thermostats, scooters and cars to its hackers to try to hack them.
Cyberattack "Mirai" was a sobering example2016, during which attackers took control of 300,000 unprotected devices, including printers, webcams, and TV recorders. This eventually led to the shutdown of media sites, companies and governments around the world.
“In the future of 5G, we're talking about all possible devices with high-bandwidth connections, not just your computer or phone,” warns the ethical hacker Elazari.
In October Nokia announced that the number of infectionsmalware on IoT devices grew by 100% in the previous year. In its report, the company emphasizes that each new 5G app offers criminals "more opportunities to harm and ransom."
Security costs
The rewards for hackers can be high: 200 HackerOne users already claim over $ 100,000 for their work, and nine hackers are making over a million dollars in revenue.
Apple, which advertises its ownbug bounty program, increased the maximum reward to more than a million dollars late last year for a hacker. He is required to find a “zero-day vulnerability” that will allow someone to gain access to the device without user interaction.
“An important incentive, of course, is monetaryreward. However, hackers are often interested in understanding how something is built to break the protection and just tear it apart, ”Somaya said. "Being the very person who can hack multibillion-dollar companies is the real thrill."
According to HackerOne, the influx of companies migratingto work remotely during the pandemic also led to a "spike in hacker attacks," with the result that the number of registered hackers increased by 59% and the remuneration paid increased by a third.
Somaya added that the governments of France and the UK are among those who have opened coronavirus tracking apps to friendly hackers.
New cybersecurity requirements for organizations
While 5G internet systems will havenew security features built into the network infrastructure - something that never happened before. The new technology is, among other things, much more complex than its predecessors. This leaves more room for security problems due to human factors.
“High risk of misconfiguration andinadequate access control: these failures are the biggest problem, ”explains Silke Holtmanns, female head of 5G research at cybersecurity firm AdaptiveMobile.
But according to Holtmanns, companies are ready to solve problems - security issues are actively raised on the agenda around the world.
The EU, along with governments around the world, has begun to tighten cybersecurity requirements for organizations, and fines for data breaches are on the rise.
“It used to be difficult for companies to justify beforeinvestor funding for security, concludes Holtmanns, a member of the EU's Cybersecurity Advisory Group. - But this time is in the past. Everyone understands what's at stake. "
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