Security threats will likely accelerate in 2022 as cybercriminals refine tried-but-true ransomware methods and look to exploit weaknesses in the software that knits together the internet. US elections will also present a tempting target for spreading misinformation. 

The expectation of a ramp-up in hacks, attacks and data theft comes after a massive jump in ransomware – takeovers of computer systems that remain locked down until a ransom is paid – that spilled into consumers' lives in 2021. Cyberattacks that shut down oil transporter Colonial Pipeline and meat packer JBS USA contributed to temporary gas price increases and meat shortages in parts of the US.

The December discovery of the Log4j bug, a critical flaw in logging software that's widely used around the internet, offered a glimpse of the vulnerability in the software supply chain, which had already taken a hit with 2020's SolarWinds hack. Security experts say hackers are likely looking for ways to take advantage of Log4j and other weaknesses in the interconnected services we rely on.

The anticipated attacks come against the backdrop of a seemingly never-ending pandemic that creates additional weaknesses. With many people still working from home, attackers will seek to exploit remote connections to infiltrate corporate networks. Some scammers will also target everyday folks, who are spending more and more time in front of computer screens, in order to nab banking information, personal passwords and other data that can be used to compromise accounts.

Andrew Useckas, chief technology officer and co-founder of the cybersecurity firm ThreatX, says part of the problem is that companies don't know the size of the problem, because so much information is on corporate networks.