The Metaverse: A New Frontier for Cyber Attacks

The metaverse is the untapped potential of the digital realm, offering countless possibilities for businesses and individuals alike. It’s a place where individuals can interact with one another, work, do their shopping, play games, watch concerts, and go on excursions without leaving their homes in the real world. Yet, new dangers and concerns, especially in the realm of cybersecurity, are introduced by the metaverse, as is the case with any developing technology.

Concerns regarding data security in the metaverse were identified by 1,500 IT, DevSecOps, and other security experts in a recent survey conducted by Tenable. The research presents a gloomy picture of the possible hazards that organisations may face as they enter this new digital ecosystem, from Deepfakes duplicating voice and facial features to more traditional phishing assaults. Today, we’ll take the plunge into the metaverse to talk about how companies may safeguard themselves against predators in the modern world.

Navigating the Hazards of the Metaverse

There has been a lot of scrambling among cybersecurity experts to get in on this burgeoning industry, and as a result, many businesses aren’t adequately protected from the constantly shifting cyber threats. A poll by Tenable found that 68% of businesses plan to operate some sort of metaverse business within the next 6 to 36 months, with 23% having already begun creating projects. Yet many still worry about cybersecurity; 41% of survey takers cited it as the most important factor in determining how their company invests in the metaverse.

So what are the top cybersecurity worries for organisations plunging into virtual worlds? Here are the four key areas of concern:

1. 79% of respondents believe that assaults including the cloning of voice and facial features and the hijacking of video recordings using avatars are either extremely probable or somewhat likely to occur in the metaverse.
2. Invisible-avatar eavesdropping or ‘man in the room’ attacks: 78% of respondents say such attacks are very likely or somewhat likely due to vulnerabilities in VR software.
3. 81% of the people polled said that traditional cyber threats like phishing, malware, and ransomware assaults that businesses face today will spread to other metaverses.
4. About four out of five respondents (78%) consider the possibility of compromised machine identities and API transactions occurring across metaverses to be either extremely likely or moderately possible.

How to Stay Safe in the Metaverse?

The best way to protect your company from these and other cyber threats in the Metaverse is to develop a thorough cybersecurity framework. Consider the following tips if you want to protect yourself from these dangers:

1. Insider threats in virtual worlds – Companies should have well-defined data access policies and processes in place, with staff receiving training on the dangers posed by insider threats.
2. Malware and phishing attacks – Strengthen your defences with tools like firewalls and antivirus software, and train your staff to recognise and prevent these threats.
3. Identity theft and fraud – Multi-factor authentication and other robust authentication protocols should be used to protect users’ personal information and prevent fraudulent activity.
4. Protecting virtual assets – Strong security measures, such as encryption and access controls, can aid in the prevention of theft and other unauthorised activity.

For companies looking for guidance in navigating the Metaverse, Tenable provides a variety of cybersecurity options. Its products and services, which range from vulnerability management to endpoint security, may help secure your company from cyber predators. You may find out more about how Tenable can assist with the safety of your Metaverse company by clicking here.

If you would like a chat with a Tenable representative to learn more, click here to set your appointment.