Social causes and social media are the highest targets for cybersecurity

Image: © AFP / FILE Fred TANNEAU

Turning to the cyber crystal ball, Nick Tausek, Security Solutions Architect, predicts that cyberattacks on social justice companies will increase in 2022. This could go to the point where attempts increase by a double-digit percentage. He answers questions from the Digital Journal.

The reason Tausek makes this prediction is based on trends identified from 2021 data, as he notes: “This year we have seen an increase in both internal and external actors acting for ‘ethical’ reasons versus purely financial ones Establishing against companies like Epic and Twitch is against intent. “

So what’s next Tausek says this in 2022: Hacking for political or social reasons will increase significantly. Most companies in this position will fail to adequately respond to the threat of exposure by just focusing on “going back” internally to prevent leaks, rather than addressing problematic business cultures that lead employees into rogues . “

More regulation is likely to be needed to address these issues. Tausek further predicts that the U.S. government will attempt to regulate, but it may not succeed given the moving target.

Another area of ​​regulation that could emerge concerns social media companies. This in turn presents several challenges.

The appetite for it is based on recent events, explains Tausek. For example: “The testimony of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen to Congress in October highlighted the need for social media regulations. Many see the last drop in the latest allegations of widespread negligence. “

Given the size of social networks, some action is required. Tausek states: “Social media companies like Facebook, which carry large chunks of global communications, from personal messages to business dealings, can no longer be trusted to regulate themselves.”

This means that “the need for greater transparency in the moderation practices of social media companies has been made clear to Congress and the general public”.

Other measures required, Tausek argues, include the need for personal “reassurance that they are not being influenced by companies hostile to the US, such as when Facebook sold political ads to accounts in the run-up to the 2016 election paid in Russian rubles ”.

Despite the wish, Tausek sees that the political appetite is waning: “Although numerous bills are being proposed in the House and Senate after the talks have been rekindled, the flame will quickly go out in 2022, as the political deadlock prevents Congress from to officially take over oversight. “To take the process into their own hands to curb disinformation tactics.”

The public backlash, however, could be serious. Tausek warns, “This will lead to even more distrust, anti-vaccine information and social discord being sown as misinformation and disinformation is rampant on the most popular platforms.”

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