Greg van der Gaast, a renowned ethical hacker, has recently been featured in the Top Trending Ethical Hackers list. In an interview, he shared his insights on the biggest cyber threat faced by the UK and predicted the future of cyber-attacks.
According to van der Gaast, although ransomware is widely considered as the biggest cyber threat, it is merely a way for hackers to profit from a breach. The real concern lies in the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in system architecture and maintenance. Despite 25 years of experience in the field, van der Gaast claims that the methods used by hackers to infiltrate systems have not significantly changed. Companies continue to neglect crucial security measures such as proper system building, maintenance, asset inventory, and patching. This negligence creates numerous entry points for cybercriminals, analogous to living in a house with a thousand doors and windows, some of which are left open.
Van der Gaast emphasizes the necessity for large businesses and organizations to adopt a holistic and business-aligned security approach. Instead of relying on the security status quo of simply buying more tools, a proactive and sustainable strategy that aligns with the organization’s functioning is needed. This shift in mindset would allow for effective and long-lasting security measures.
When asked about the weakest link in a business or organization’s cyber defenses, van der Gaast challenges the common belief that people are the weakest link. On the contrary, he states that people can also be the first line of defense. The real issues lie in the overall sloppiness, lack of maturity, integration, and holistic understanding of the organization’s IT infrastructure and security measures. Van der Gaast points out that blaming individuals, such as “Dave from Marketing who clicked on an email,” overlooks the systemic failures in configuring laptops, updating firmware, and setting secure passwords.
Looking towards the future, van der Gaast predicts that ransomware attacks will continue to grow and target critical infrastructure. He notes that the problem is not being taken seriously enough, evidenced by repeated hacks on major organizations like T-Mobile. The scale and damaging effects of cyber-attacks are expected to worsen, highlighting the urgency for improved cybersecurity measures.
The interview with Greg van der Gaast was conducted by Mark Matthews, providing valuable insights from a renowned ethical hacker. As for the author, Megan Lupton, she is currently a Senior Content Executive at Champions Speakers and has been managing internal content since 2019. Megan’s passion for writing has led her to pursue a PhD at De Montfort University, where she focuses on the ethics of digital media forms. In her role, Megan has interviewed notable personalities like Dr. Alex George and Sir Mo Farah, with a particular interest in LGBTQ+ pride, female empowerment, and digital media and journalism.
In conclusion, Greg van der Gaast’s expertise shed light on the pressing cybersecurity issues faced by the UK. His emphasis on the need for a holistic security approach and proactive measures serves as a wake-up call for businesses and organizations to address the vulnerabilities in their systems. The ever-growing threat of ransomware and the damaging consequences of cyber-attacks require immediate attention and more robust cybersecurity practices.