2021 Global Incident Response Threat Report

VMware recently conducted a study surveying 123 cybersecurity and incident response professionals to explore the latest trends in the incident response landscape. The seventh annual Global Incident Response Threat Report took a look at how attackers are manipulating reality to reshape the modern threat landscape. 

“Today, we’re seeing a nexus between nation-states and cybercriminals continue to rapidly advance the development of increasingly sophisticated and destructive cyberattacks, combined with the broadening of the attack surface as a result of COVID-19,” says Tom Kellermann, head of cybersecurity strategy, VMware. “The digital and physical worlds have converged, and everything can be manipulated by modern-day attackers. The reality is that first adopters of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, are often cybercriminals on the dark web and in nation-states intelligence communities.”

From a broadened attack surface to the weaponization of new technologies and industrialization of e-crime, bad actors are disturbing critical infrastructure by distorting digital reality, be it via business communications compromise (BCC) or the manipulation of time. 

The data gathered provides a look at the evolving threat landscape to equip organizations with the insights they need to increase their cyber vigilance and implement effective strategies externally and internally to fight back and protect from increasing cyberattacks.

“Burnout is a huge issue with incident response teams, who are handling a spike in engagements in what is still a largely remote environment,” says Rick McElroy, principal cybersecurity strategist at VMware. “It only further underscores the need for leaders to build resilient teams, whether that means considering rotations of work, empowering individuals to take mental health days, or any number of other initiatives aimed at nurturing personal growth and development.”

Protecting your organization today requires a comprehensive approach focused on prioritizing security and prioritizing the mental health of defenders to be in the best frame of mind to counter these complex attacks effectively. The best external defense starts within. 

Take a look at some of the key findings:

Download the full report to learn more: https://bit.ly/3f9Ig2r