A man dubbed the “living Nostradamus” has warned of more cyber attacks leading to large-scale blackouts around the world.
Athos Salome, a 36-year-old Brazilian, is often considered a psychic due to the accuracy of his insights and predictions, having previously predicted the Microsoft service outage in April, the coronavirus pandemic and even the death of Queen Elizabeth.
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Salomé stated that there are numerous cyber attacks planned by advanced persistent threat (APT) groups.
He said: ‘As can be seen, these moves are a sign that targeted attacks are about to occur which will result in large-scale blackouts and service disruptions.
“Another group is attacking the networks of computer service providers and through them reaching corporations and governments. This activity is indicative of a major campaign of industrial espionage and theft of confidential information.”
Athos Salome, 36, from Brazil, dubbed the “living Nostradamus”, warned of more cyber attacks leading to large-scale blackouts around the world.
According to Salomé, hacking groups are building a new level of highly sophisticated “modular malware.”
“These tools are akin to turning your devices into something like a Swiss Army knife, to which you can remotely add new functionality. Before a traditional switch-based security system can detect these tools, let alone neutralize them, it first has to identify them,” he added.
Salomé also highlighted trends such as the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop more subtle attacks that are difficult to detect with the naked eye.
“Currently, hackers are teaching AI to act like a real person during the phishing process to a level where it cannot be easily detected,” he noted.
Ransomware Tools
Salomé said factors have emerged that reflect “improvements in ransomware tools” in terms of speed of encryption, as well as better dissemination models.
He said: “This is a growing concern for businesses and governments globally.”
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Salomé established that there are numerous cyber attacks planned by Advanced Persistent Threat Groups (APTs)
Electrical networks and industrial control systems
Security experts have warned that one of the groups is planning to launch successive attacks that could lead to widespread blackouts in specific major cities in the United States and Europe.
Salomé revealed: “This type of attack could disrupt public order and cause insecurity.”
Submarine Internet Cables
Salome also said that another group intends to launch a series of attacks involving undersea Internet cables to sabotage the global communication system, all in the name of great economic destruction.
“The object that reminds me of the fragility of these underwater structures is a foundation that hackers are investigating,” he warned.
Bitcoins
Cryptocurrency is far from being as secure as people think, and Salomé is convinced that hackers will soon start attacking exchanges.
“While these attacks primarily seek to gain control over digital assets, the intent is also to disrupt the new class of digital financial instruments, namely cryptocurrencies,” he said.
Salomé also believes that markets can be influenced through synchronized cyber operations that could jeopardize trading and stock exchange platforms around the world.
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games
He said: ‘When the Olympic Games are held, there may be more cyber attacks on technological systems accompanied by transportation systems and communication networks involved in the event.
“Another test similar to the one carried out in Paris on Saturday night was carried out and the next one is scheduled for the next World Cup in 2026,” said Salomé.
United States presidential election 2024
“The main phenomenon that threatens the integrity of elections is cyber manipulation,” he said.
Technology and health companies
Salomé also explained that there is a group specializing in cyber intrusions for corporate espionage, targeting mainly biotechnology and health companies.
Which, according to him, is “very valuable” and can be used to covertly achieve “technological and/or pharmaceutical advances.”
Anomalous network traffic
Information about suspicious network traffic and attempts to gain access to restricted systems can be said to fit the strategies of these groups.
He said: “These signals are quite worrying and portend further operations.”
Salomé issued a warning to make the global cyber shield much stronger to prevent such attacks.
He concluded: “The main measure to counter these threats is preparation and cooperation with other countries, adding that the use of modern security technologies and regular training on appropriate behavior in the information space are important measures.”
The “living Nostradamus” predicted the downfall of Microsoft’s service in April, saying it could lead to an “escalation of confrontation” and eventually a cyber war.
Earlier this month, the world experienced a day of chaos as departure boards were immediately switched off at airports on the busiest day for British air travel since before the Covid pandemic.
In a sign of the global impact of the cyber glitch, stores in Australia closed or ran out of cash after digital tills stopped working, while in the US emergency services lines went offline.
Meanwhile, British train passengers were warned to expect delays due to “widespread computer problems across the network”, while Sky News went off air and NHS England said patients should not attend GP appointments unless told otherwise due to problems with the appointment and patient records system.
Microsoft confirmed it was investigating an “issue” with its 365 apps and operating systems and said a resolution was “coming soon.”
US cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has admitted responsibility for the bug and said a fix has been put in place. The company said the bug was due to a “defect found in a single content update” and insisted the issue was “not a security incident or cyberattack.”
Speaking to FEMAIL, Athos said: ‘A global shutdown of Microsoft, according to the analyzed result, may affect essential infrastructure with the escalation of interstate confrontation and lead to a cyber war.
‘In the short term, investigations will be conducted and corrective measures will be taken to restore services and plan for future attacks.
“Companies will have to improve cyber protection and society may become concerned about the use of Internet services, which has led to talk of intensive regulation. This development may lead to changes in political actions and military tactics at the international level, and the threat of international war is real.”