With a new decade comes new threats. We’ve seen our fair share of new cybersecurity threats in 2020 so far. Now, some on this list are not new, per se. They’ve just gotten more prevalent this year. Companies and individuals should make sure they check the sources of software. Also, don’t click on any links from a suspicious origin. Overall, we’re going to talk about the following threats:

1. Deepfakes and how they are used to change political options and scam people.
2. Foreign government-controlled apps and how they pose privacy concerns.
3. Foreign government-controlled equipment and concerns around national security.

Deepfakes 

First, a deepfake is a video that is manipulated with software. It’s created to make the speaker look like they are saying something they are not. Or make a speaker look like someone they are not. Famous deepfakes exist for Donald Trump and many other political figures. However, the problem with this technology is that it’s only getting better. So, there’s a huge risk that these deepakes could scam people. An example is giving donations to a fake account. Simply because a celebrity or political figure asked them in a video. This poses a significant security risk. And employees or individuals should train themselves to fact-check video. Check against other reliable sources before believing the content. There are several websites available for this purpose.

CCP Controlled Apps

The USA recently went toe-to-toe with TikTok. There are several pending lawsuits against the company. This is for allegedly transferring private user information to the Chinese government. Donald Trump called for a ban to come into effect in September 2020. Should you be concerned? Possibly. Some governments are not known for their freedoms and personal liberties. That may not concern you now. But consider that it’s possible they already have a dossier on you from apps like these. A dossier that could serve to prosecute you should you ever enter their country. It’s something to consider.

CCP Controlled 5G Technology

Recently, the US and UK became concerned about Huawei. Namely, the vulnerabilities of the 5G network, fitted with Huawei technology. Huawei is founded by a former Chinese Army officer and current member of the CCP. So, the government is concerned the technology is used to spy on citizens. According to the BBC, “The UK government has announced a series of measures to remove the Chinese phone-maker Huawei from the UK’s 5G mobile networks. It will ban UK mobile providers from buying new Huawei 5G equipment after the end of this year [2020]. [And it must] remove all of its 5G kit from their networks by 2027.” The move is meant to protect the British public. However, many people still have Huawei smartphones. However, if you’re concerned, you should switch to an Apple, Google, Microsoft, Sony or Samsung-manufactured device.

As technology evolves, we experience new threats. However, with a little research, you can protect yourself and your business from most issues. If you’d like to talk about your cybersecurity, our helpful team is ready to assist.