São Paulo/SP – November 28, 2022. Information security will have the challenge of reducing vulnerabilities and dealing with threats that may affect the personal security of the user in the metaverse.
*By Rafael Silva
What is Metaverse?
The Metaverse is a concept that combines augmented reality and virtual environments. It can be understood as an experience in a virtual space, but it has implications for reality in this universe. Soon, people will be in the “world” of the internet and interact as if they were there. This means that we will have virtual avatars that will be able to talk, work, socialize with friends and family in the online world. There are companies that have already developed their universe, for example Nike, which developed Nikeland in the game Roblox where you can buy items to customize your character in the game.
Metaverse Vulnerabilities
The Internet of Things connects everything in the physical world, making it vulnerable to hackers, and with that comes security and privacy concerns. For example, people may be dissatisfied with the lack of privacy and concerns about their safety in the virtual world. As a result, many users have experienced issues with malware apps, DNS security, encryption, and more. Information security will have the challenge of reducing vulnerabilities and dealing with threats that can affect the user's personal security. Ethical and moral issues such as integrity, challenges to publishing and spreading false information; adverse weather, harassment and violence issues; Physical, social, and mental impairments caused by excessive Internet use are also developing concerns.
If organizations rush to build virtual worlds and don't think about information security, cybercriminals will attack companies and individuals by exploiting vulnerabilities in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Cybercriminals in the Metaverse
Information security needs to be in constant evolution, developing methodologies, strategies and applications to contain the advance of cybercriminals who also advance in their methods. It is necessary to think and act with greater protection of personal data. This investment in security must also be dedicated to blockchain, technology used to record information and assets in the virtual world. If this data is stolen, it will be difficult to recover.
In addition, virtual worlds can become a fertile ground for social engineering scams, as Cybercriminals deceive and manipulate victims to obtain financial gains, often stratospheric, can take advantage of the freedom of the digital world to increase their search for victims.
Best Practices in the Metaverse
The good news is that to avoid cyberattacks in the metaverse, we must take the same precautions in today's digital world, such as:
- Be aware of the authenticity of the profiles you interact with;
- Avoid disclosing sensitive data to strangers;
- Enable security tools (such as two-factor authentication);
- Beware of unrealistic offers;
- Beware of calls from companies requesting personal information or involving transactions with financial institutions;
- Always keep your systems and software up to date;
- Trust a good security application.
Final considerations
With this technology in the joint market of augmented reality and virtual environments, intervening in the physical environment of society, it is necessary to think fundamentally about information security, to avoid fraud and attacks by cybercriminals. There has to be a maturation of thought by the technology user himself, because the greatest vulnerability is still people, so attention must be paid to good information security practices.
— Rafael Silva is a GRC Consultant at [SAFEWAY]
How can we help?
THE SAFEWAY is an Information Security consulting company recognized by its clients for offering high value-added solutions through projects that fully meet the needs of the business. In 14 years of experience, we have accumulated several successful projects that have earned us credibility and prominence with our clients, who largely make up the 100 largest companies in Brazil.
today through 25 strategic partnerships with global manufacturers and our SOC, SAFEWAY is considered a one stop shopping with the best solutions in technology, processes and people. We have both the technical skills and the experience necessary to assist your company in the process of structuring controls and preparing the environment for the implementation of an ISMS, SGS or SGCN and, consequently, certification of operations, services or companies to the ISO27001, ISO20000 or ISO22301 standards.
In order to support companies in this process of evaluation and adaptation to the requirements of the LGPD, [SAFEWAY] has in its portfolio of services, the Cybersecurity Health Check whose objective is to carry out a diagnosis of the CyberSecurity, Information Security and Data Privacy implemented in your company, contemplating the pillars of Law Suit, People and Technology.
through the Cybersecurity Health Check, risks associated with information security and privacy of internal processes and activities are identified, existing controls and new controls evaluated according to the size of your organization to increase the level of maturity and compliance, in accordance with good information security practices. If you would like more information, contact one of our experts!
