New Report Shows Why Secure Passwords and MFA Are Vital

30th October 2022

ESET’s October 2022 Threat Report notes a decline in Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) attacks to surprise, after years of steady growth, but makes clear this is not a sign of reduced criminal activity. Instead, attackers are shifting strategies and moving toward more targeted, stealthy intrusion methods.

The report details the discovery of a new MacOS backdoor tied to the ScarCruft APT group and updated loaders used to deploy advanced malware.

This shift toward precision attacks means businesses relying solely on traditional antivirus or perimeter controls may no longer detect early-stage compromises.

Another trend highlighted is the increasing use of compromised credentials purchased on dark-web markets. Rather than forcing entry, attackers are using legitimate credentials obtained via phishing, reused passwords, malware infections or cloud account breaches. For SMEs lacking MFA or robust identity management, this creates a silent but serious vulnerability!

The report also points to rising mobile malware activity, especially on Android devices—an important consideration for businesses using hybrid work or BYOD policies where a compromised device can serve as a doorway into your business systems and infrastructure.

The takeaway for SME’s is simple: the attack landscape is evolving, and a layered security approach is essential. Identity protection, maintenance and patching, mobile governance and 24/7 monitoring are becoming as important as endpoint protection itself. As an IT provider, we help SMEs adapt to these shifts before they become incidents – because today’s attackers aren’t brute-forcing the door anymore; they’re slipping in with valid credentials.

ESET Industry News Security