Norton predicts an increase in cryptocurrency scams, hacktivism next year

Norton claims that cyber activism will gain momentum next year, and crypto scams are likely to increase as more users buy into it. In addition, the cybersecurity firm predicts that scammers will target people suffering from natural disasters. Norton warns that in 2022 there will be more hacking, more scammers and a greater need for online security. Next year is likely to see more casual investors in the cryptocurrency market, indicating more scams in the segment. Phishing campaigns to steal users’ credentials or tech support scams to separate people from their money are likely to increase.

Cybersecurity predictions for the coming year have been compiled by Norton. At the top, the company predicts an increase in cryptocurrency scams as several countries seek to regulate it. The proliferation of casual investors who do not fully understand the nuances of how cryptocurrencies work will allow scammers to take advantage of this. “Scammers have used those misunderstandings to separate people from their coins, and with this new batch of new users we expect a big increase in the amount of scams out there. They will probably look like some of the old scams, but we also expect new and creative efforts to attack this new, larger group of potential victims,” the company notes.

Norton also says the need to go online and have all identity documents online during the pandemic could lead to theft, identity theft and other scams. The company also predicts that cybercriminals could run phishing campaigns to steal credentials or tech support scams to separate people from their money. While most attacks are for money, some tend to use cyber intrusion as a form of protest.

The company adds that hacker activists, or hacktivists, will use their knowledge to achieve political results. They do this by disrupting governments, sowing fear or revealing information. Hacktivism and cyberterrorism were alive and well in 2021, revealing information governments would have preferred to keep secret. Norton expects these attacks to continue, if not increase, given their reach and potential impact.

In 2022, scammers will continue to abuse disaster-affected users. Norton says that when money flows from insurance companies or the government to victims of natural disasters, someone will try to exploit that situation, either by committing fraud with stolen identities or by defrauding people directly. If the trend continues and there are more and more natural disasters and extreme weather events, Norton expects more scammers ready to make money.

Finally, Norton predicts that artificial intelligence and machine learning will increase cybercrime. It allows users to manipulate some forms of media and extract value from large data sets. It predicts that as deepfake technology gets better and easier to use, it will become a useful tool for criminals, scammers, stalkers and activists.