Experian, an American credit reporting company, published a 2020 data breach industry forecast that stated “smishing” or text-based phishing, would be the next danger to consumers and agencies. Following smishing is drones that steal customer data, disruptive deepfakes, hacktivism, and identity theft through mobile payment systems. The report claims that smishing campaigns in 2020 could be fraudulent messages seemingly coming from the campaigns of presidential candidates that are false fundraising initiatives.
Experian believes that malicious actors will take advantage of the 2020 elections, warning consumers not to donate to campaigns through an untrusted source. Another top threat may be drones with devices that can steal data from a consumer connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Deepfakes may also be weaponized to disrupt markets and create widespread confusion. Experian also predicts that industries like cannabis retailers and cryptocurrency entities will experience an increase in hacktivism attacks in 2020.
Read More: Report: ‘Smishing,’ Deepfakes to Continue to Rise in 2020
