Cyberattacks are not just your average blockbuster plot twist anymore – they’re becoming real enough outside of our screens.
Imagine waking up to find your smartphone completely hijacked. Not just by a petty thief, but by an invisible digital attacker far far away. This would be a scenario straight out of Netflix’s new show, Zero Day. But what if fiction is closer to reality than we think?
Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert from NordVPN, sheds light on the possibility of such massive cyberattacks:
As we shift focus from political and governmental responses to the nature of cyberattacks themselves, it’s important to understand their mechanics and potential reach. In Zero Day, the attack propagates through automatic app updates and spreads via Bluetooth, USB, and other connections, impacting a vast number of devices.
Any vulnerability that allows code originating from an attacker to be executed, known as an RCE, or remote code execution vulnerability, can be used to propagate malware. A RCE vulnerability, typically a flaw in software, enables unauthorized access and control over the targeted system. Consequently, any digital connection could potentially expose systems to RCE vulnerabilities, allowing malware to spread.
But let’s dig into some detailed examples:
According to NordVPN’s National Privacy Test, one-third confess that they ignore the terms of service for apps, often unaware of the access permissions they grant. This oversight can be exploited to turn off phones or broadcast messages because malware can be ingeniously inserted into app updates.
Malicious actors can also insert malware into the updates of legitimate apps. Attackers can manipulate the software supply chain to inject harmful code, making it relatively easy to simply turn off every phone that has this app or to send a message to its screen.
Malware like BlueBorne has demonstrated the potential to spread via Bluetooth without user interaction. The BlueBorne attack vector can potentially affect all devices with Bluetooth capabilities, affecting billions.
Theoretically, if a hacker is within Bluetooth range, typically 10 meters but up to 100 meters, and the Bluetooth is active and discoverable, they can launch a harmful attack. This allows the attacker to potentially gain full control of the device. Moreover, since malware can spread through any network, wired or wireless, the risk from a Bluetooth connection is undeniable.
USB malware spreads when devices are physically connected. Famous examples include the Stuxnet worm, which spread through USB devices to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program. However, this method is less feasible for widespread distribution across a general population due to the need for physical access.
The world of malware also includes viruses, worms, and spyware that damage or steal data. It can also spread through insecure Wi-Fi, phishing, or even smishing and the impact is significant. For instance, in 2015, an attack by the Russian hacking group Sandworm shut down Ukraine’s power, while the WannaCry attack deployed ransomware to countless users and organizations globally.
The variety of cyberattacks is expanding, especially with advancements in AI tools. From Microsoft account breaches to router hijackings and hardware espionage, the use of sophisticated technologies could significantly increase the scale and impact of future cyberattacks.
And, yes, they can be massive and destructive. However, achieving such a high scale requires substantial resources and coordinated efforts across multiple systems and networks. Though we are not living in a movie, the threats are real and often exceed cinematic imagination.
