What Are the Biggest Security Threats of 2022?

The world is in a period of turmoil and uncertainty right now. A lot of things have changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the wake of the pandemic’s far-reaching effects in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere, there are challenges with supply chains, inflation, and global economies. 

There are also uncertainties because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Whenever there’s uncertainty in the world, it heightens security risks. Security risks can be personal and can also include threats to businesses, cybersecurity, and society and often times can leave you vulnerable without private security companies dedicated to your safety. 

Understanding the risks can help you take steps to proactively protect the security of your business, home, or yourself. 

The following are some of the things analysts and experts feel are most threatening in terms of security across the board right now. 

The Effects of the Pandemic 

In the UK, by the end of March 2020, which was one week into the first lockdown, recorded crime dropped by 40% in some places. There was a sense of panic, likely leading to that trend. Then, what was quickly realized was that crime wasn’t ending miraculously. Instead, it was changing and evolving to take advantage of new opportunities presenting themselves. 

When most countries first implemented lockdowns, traditional crimes like burglary and shoplifting dropped dramatically because most stores were closed. 

However, cybercrime, domestic violence, and antisocial behavior went up. 

When lockdowns lifted, the trends went back to the traditional models in some ways, but they continued to be different in other ways. 

For example, individuals who committed traditional-style crimes changed how they worked. 

Armed robbers in places like California realized they could be anonymous with face masks. Two men hold up a post office in Luton, England, wearing latex gloves. 

Thieves also wanted different items. Oxygen canisters were taken from hospitals, for example. 

Drug smugglers had to rethink their typical pathways when borders were closed, often stealing pharmaceuticals. 

Some criminal organizations even used the pandemic as a means to perpetuate their crimes, in that they would offer stolen medications or black-market vaccines. 

Cybercriminals responded quickly to the changing news cycle and began to pivot their attention to research labs and health care facilities. 

While most places worldwide loosened COVID restrictions or eliminated them altogether, some of the changes in crime remain the same as in those early days of lockdowns. 

Physical Security Threats in 2022

Businesses around the globe face constant security threats. After the pandemic, investing in physical security to protect assets, employees, and customers is increasingly important. 

Currently, the following are some of the top physical security threats in a business and even personal sense. 

• Workplace violence can encompass a broad range of threats, including physical assault and homicide. Many workplace relationships can contribute to an increased risk of violence, including worker-on-worker, personal relationships, and customer-client relationships. An estimated 1 in 7 people reportedly don’t feel safe at work. For the past few years, people have largely been working from home, but as they return to an in-person office setting, their worries about security will likely increase. 
• Since the pandemic, countries around the world have experienced a surge in theft and general crime. Companies of all sizes are seeing higher burglary, robbery, theft, fraud, and vandalism rates. One trend, in particular, is flash mob burglaries. In the U.S., there have been several high-profile flash mob burglaries where crimes are committed en masse. The idea of the strategy is to prevent police or security from being able to get all of the suspects. Physical security can help this issue significantly, particularly if you hire a team that uses technology as part of their overall strategy. 
• Natural disasters aren’t something that everyone thinks of as a physical security threat, but with climate change, they are becoming a growing issue. Reports indicate natural disasters have gone up five-fold over the past 50 years. 
• Biosecurity and physical health are at the top of many people’s minds because of the pandemic. In the U.S., the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) keeps up with changes in COVID strains and similar threats. Along with COVID, companies are increasingly looking at issues like the effects of the flu on the security and safety of clients and employees. Companies can use data and analytics to help keep employees safer from illnesses. Employers who consider the health of their employees are likely to minimize their risks in a variety of ways and improve their overall level of business continuity and productivity. 

Physical violence is hitting many bigger cities worldwide, especially in the United States, very hard right now, as we’ve briefly touched on. 

Violent crime includes crimes where violence is the objective and crimes where violence is a way to achieve something else, like a robbery. 

In the U.S., the violent crime rate in 2018 was around 369 incidents per 100,000, but this has likely gone up in the past two years. 

In New York City, there was a 38.5% increase in the overall crime index when comparing January 2021 to January 2022. Every major crime index category increased except murder. Robbery, for example, is up by more than 33% and grand larceny by over 58%. Shootings throughout the city went up 31.6% in this time. 

In Philadelphia, in 2021, 562 people were murdered, which was an all-time high. It was also a 12% increase from 2020. 

Personal Digital Security

Personal online and digital security is something that individuals need to be concerned about, and it’s also relevant to businesses. This is because there are increasingly blurred lines between our personal and work digital lives. 

If employees face significant personal digital security risks, those could then become risks for their employer. 

Another reason personal digital security is relevant to employers and individuals is that many employees use their personal devices for work. When an employer has a bring-your-own-device policy, as is becoming the norm, they have to consider the potential for theft and data loss. 

The Most Common Cybersecurity Threats

Cybersecurity threats that are relevant to individuals and organizations and are increasing in popularity and prevalent this year include:

• Credential reuse—if one employee’s credentials are stolen, it can wreak havoc on an entire organization. An example of a large-scale credential reuse attack hit Dunkin Donuts in 2019. The U.S.-based food chain dealt with cybercriminals who sold thousands of stolen accounts on the dark web to the highest bidders. Then, the people who bought the credentials used them across a range of other consumer websites until they found success. 
• Insider threats—the rate of insider threats increased before the pandemic, but now it’s even more of a risk. When employees work remotely or in a hybrid environment, they may feel less accountable to their employer. An employee who feels as if they’re mistreated or not appreciated is at especially high risk of posing an insider threat. 
• Supply chain attacks—supply chains globally are already facing enormous pressure. They are slowed or snarled altogether. New lockdowns throughout China are worsening existing issues, and cybercriminals take advantage of supply chain attacks. The number of supply chain attacks went up throughout 2021, and these attacks are expected to continue to be a threat throughout 2022. The SolarWinds hack is just one example, and it’s the one largely considered to have kicked off the larger trend of these attacks. The Kaseya attack also affected supply chains. 
• Cloud services as a target—software-as-a-solution (SaaS) was a lifeline for companies who wanted to continue operations in the early days of the pandemic. Cloud-based infrastructure provided them with the scalability, accessibility, and flexibility needed to facilitate a remote workforce. Unfortunately, the rapid digital transformation also left businesses unable to identify and close security gaps. Organizations had to transition fast, with minimal strategy or opportunities for planning. Bad actors have taken advantage. 
• Ransomware—these attacks target individuals and businesses of all sizes. The Colonial Pipeline hack is the top-of-mind example of a ransomware attack. In 2021 the Dark Side ransomware group caused the shutdown of one of the main pipelines that serve the east coast of the U.S. for a week. The healthcare and education sectors have also been big targets of ransomware. These attacks are profitable from the perspective of cybercriminals. 
• Mobile threats—as mentioned, employees increasingly use their own devices for work. That has benefits but also risks. Cybercriminals have introduced mobile malware Trojans which leverage weaknesses in app store security controls and social media. Attackers also use something called Smishing, which means they send phishing content through text instead of email. 

With uncertainty inevitably comes new threats and challenges. On an individual level and within the context of your business, protecting your personal safety is a top priority right now. You might have to rethink how you do both as threats change and evolve. 

For businesses, investing in security is a key strategic priority. For individuals, being vigilant and understanding the threat landscape is critical.