As ransomware attacks continue to rise, hackers will embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid detection by cybersecurity systems, predicts a leading cyberinformation analyst.
"Within the next two years, hackers will use AI to avoid detection," said Rik Ferguson, vice-president of security research at Trend Micro, a leader in information security and a special adviser to Europol.
Cybersecurity vendors have adopted AI to learn the "unknown patterns" of threats, he said.
Mr Ferguson said ransomware attacks continue to grow and have harsher impacts. Trend Micro estimates losses from ransomware globally this year will be US$4 billion (133 billion baht), up from $1 billion in 2016.
"Ransomware attacks are getting stronger and more sophisticated by automatically distributing themselves," he said. In the past, ransomware required humans to spread it.
The number of new ransomware varieties has also increased, from 29 families in 2015 to 246 in 2016, a 748% increase.
"Ransomware will be more hard-hitting and will diversify in terms of geography and targeted victims," said Mr Ferguson.
Of the total ransomware attacks targeting businesses, 52% ransomwares attack database-related files, 14% attack web pages, 19% SQL files, 10% attack tax refund files, and 5% attack Mac operating systems.
Apart from WannaCry and Petya, there will be more non-Windows ransomware families.
Technically, Internet of Things (IoT) ransomware is feasible, but not on a large scale, he said.
Moreover, the Industrial Control Systems and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System environment, payment systems, and critical operations such as aviation are all vulnerable to ransomware attacks.
Ransomware attackers have also adjusted their targets from personal to organisational victims, and have breached networks and servers to steal and distort data.
Mr Ferguson expects to see different attack chains and hits on businesses where they are hurt the most.
Trend Micro Thailand and Vietnam country manager Piyatida Tantrakul said WannaCry and Petya and the digital transformation are two key factors driving cybersecurity spending.
In addition to banks, data centre operators including internet service providers and telecom operators, manufacturing, all are investing in cybersecurity.
"We aim to grow our local revenue by 20% this year and expect to hold the largest market share of enterprise security sector in Thailand," said Ms Piyatida, adding that the company was second in the market last year.