Biometric hacking and cloud attacks among top cyberthreats for 2019

COSTA MESA, Calif., Dec. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- What will the top cyberthreats be in 2019? Experian^® today released its sixth annual Data Breach Industry Forecast, which includes predictions of the top five cyberthreats facing businesses next year. The report addresses new breach frontiers such as biometrics and gaming, along with susceptible breach targets such as the cloud and wireless networks.

"Hackers have become very nimble at outsmarting protection measures. Cybercriminals always seem to stay a step ahead of new security gates," said Michael Bruemmer, vice president of Data Breach Resolution at Experian. "We use the power of data to help businesses make the right decisions, and we issue our Data Breach Industry Forecast each year to give them a competitive edge. Our predictions look at where hackers may go next to exploit vulnerabilities so companies can safeguard themselves against these future threats."

Experian's five data breach predictions for 2019:

1. Attackers will zero in on biometric hacking and expose vulnerabilities in touch ID sensors, facial recognition and passcodes. Biometric data is considered the most secure method of authentication, but it can be stolen or altered, and sensors can be manipulated and spoofed or deteriorate with too much use.
   
   
2. Skimming is the next frontier for an enterprisewide attack on a major financial institution's national network, which could result in millions of losses. Credit card skimmers are hidden devices designed to steal card information and passcodes. Criminals are now going after bank networks — moving beyond attacking individual ATMs by loading malware into entire computer systems.
   
   
3. A major wireless carrier will be attacked with a simultaneous effect on both iPhones and Android, stealing personal information from millions of consumers and possibly disabling all wireless communications in the United States. Similar to an attack on critical infrastructure, a serious disruption to a wireless network would halt the nation.
   
   
4. It's a matter of when, not if, a top cloud vendor will suffer a breach, compromising the sensitive information of major companies. The only question is how long it will take hackers to go to the cloud, affecting the world's largest companies and potentially billions of pieces of data.
   
   
5. The online gaming community will be an emerging hacker target, with cybercriminals posing as gamers and gaining access to the computers and personal data of trusting players. A cybercriminal can easily pose as a gamer or take over an avatar to infiltrate games and communities, stealing personal and credit card information and valuable game pieces and tokens.

This year, the forecast includes an additional prediction about the dark web by Brian Stack, vice president of Dark Web Intelligence at Experian.

To read the full complimentary report with a detailed analysis of the five predictions and what they mean for businesses and consumers, visit http://bit.ly/IndustryForecast.

About Experian
Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments — from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers — we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organizations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 16,500 people operating across 39 countries and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximize every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Experian

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https://www.experianplc.com

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