For businesses large and small, cybersecurity is no longer just something that the IT department has to worry about. It has evolved into a core business and societal issue. The landscape online, relating to threats, is evolving quickly and becoming more complex as artificial intelligence and automation are taking over as the methods of deploying cyberthreats with immense speed and precision.
So, for business owners, you need to know what to expect this coming year and how you can protect your business.
Artificial Intelligence
Now being seen as a double-edged sword in the world of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence is being used to simultaneously automate phishing campaigns as well as generate convincing deep fake content, but also identify vulnerabilities that websites may have.
All website owners need to be a few steps ahead, and when it comes to a battle of the algorithms, you will need a security system that has the speed and adaptability to respond to an AI attack. Managed detection and response systems are going to be a core feature of many online defences, and for many companies, these systems will also rely on AI to defeat the automated and intelligent attacks. To learn more about managed detection and response systems, you can check out the blogs at Red Canary.
Regulation is Tightening
Cyber threats are being met globally with stricter regulations that will be the responsibility of business owners to oversee and ensure that they have access to professional help as and when needed. So, all companies and organisations can expect to see (and have to implement) stricter data protection, as well as face higher penalties for non-compliance with the data protection. As a result, you can also expect to see cybersecurity become more legally focused and become as much of a governance issue as it is a technical one.
Human Risk is Still the Weakest Link
Even though there have been enormous advances in technology, human behaviour is still one of the biggest vulnerabilities. Issues such as social engineering attacks, credential theft, and even insider threats to businesses are unlikely to disappear. All successful cybersecurity strategies will likely place Greater emphasis on user education as well as rely more on behavioural analytics. So, organisations that will be better positioned to manage risks will invest in making sure that all behaviour around their systems and protected data is monitored, and will be able to spot any unusual user behaviour.
Shift from Prevention to Resilience
As much as you may have read about it online, absolute protection is no longer realistic when it comes to cyber threats. This coming year, the focus will likely shift towards cyber resilience, which is the ability to withstand cyberattacks, recover quickly, and then continue operating as normal. For this to work, you will need to have better incident response planning in place, as well as regular simulations, and ensure that your staff are trained. Indeed, it’s highly likely that companies that can demonstrate resilience to cyber threats will likely earn greater trust from customers and will be more likely to succeed.
