The Future of Cybersecurity
OSINT – Open Source Intelligence
Today’s organizations are facing more distributed teams at a time of increased security threats and reduced IT and security staffing.
This year, Gartner predicts that over half of US workers will be remote. At the same time, 61% percent of organizations experienced a jump of 25% or more in cyber threats or alerts since the start of COVID-19.
Security teams need an easier way to enforce security everywhere.
Use this ebook to learn how to:
- Start building a cloud security strategy
- Reduce risk from increasingly sophisticated, modern-day threats
- Secure users and devices both on and off the corporate network with easy to scale and easy to deploy DNS-layer protection
- Minimize alerts and give back time and resources to your IT teams
We’ve explored how cyber security has changed in 2020, top threats in 2021, and even security trends smaller businesses should watch for in 2022, and now it’s time to look further ahead. In this blog, Field Effect’s experienced analysts share their thoughts on what the future of cyber security may look like.
What cyber security threats will remain an issue?
Certain attack tactics are bound to stick around — and that’s because they work. These are the threats that our experts believe still pose a serious cyber security risk.
Threats facing remote work and distracted workers
The most apparent cyber security challenge in 2021 revolves around remote work. With many COVID-19 mandates still in effect, remote work (and the cyber risks it brings) will remain prevalent.
Malicious actors look for vulnerable or misconfigured systems that connect to the internet — a much easier task after companies encouraged remote work due to pandemic concerns.
“The biggest cyber security trend this year is the shift toward working at home,” says Ernie Sherman, a Field Effect partner and the President of Fuelled Networks, a managed IT and security services provider that helps companies plan, manage, and align these services with their customers’ business strategies.
“The challenge this brings is that we can no longer assume that corporate resources are protected by perimeter security; we need to adopt a zero-trust model and assume that corporate resources and unsecured devices are sharing the same space and need to be secured accordingly.”
Cyber criminals have also been taking advantage of preoccupied or distracted remote workers and may continue to do so.
Evolving cybersecurity management within an organization
Internal restructuring of cybersecurity management is a huge shift that is happening within many organizations as attacks evolve and become more complex. Traditionally, enterprise companies hire a chief information security officer (CISO) for threat assessment and response, with the chief executive officer (CEO) and board of directors taking a backseat role in cybersecurity planning and protection. Moving forward, cybersecurity responsibilities within a corporation will be shared amongst many executives. The CISO’s role will change into more of a subject matter expert, evaluating the threat landscape and actual risks, outlining the costs involved with cybersecurity insurance and protective solutions, and recommending a comprehensive incident response plan. Armed with this information, the CEO or board of directors will then make response decisions and act on these recommendations. Similarly, cybersecurity readiness and planning will become key criteria in the evaluation of CEOs, and boards of directors will hold them accountable as well should an organization be unprepared.
Developing a corporate incident response team
The main goal of any smart security response is prevention. A 360-degree approach to security and risk assessment is standard issue when it comes to a physical security presence, but more and more companies are recognizing the importance of protecting their digital data as well as personnel. As part of this recognition, companies that previously did not have a security operations center (SOC) or preventative measures in place are taking active steps toward creating an incident response plan by evaluating the precautions they have in place, if any, and comparing them to regulatory requirements. These assessments, often dictated by the business model of the organization, provide a roadmap of clear steps toward improved security. These steps could include anything from replacing antiquated in-office antivirus solutions to incorporating next generation endpoint protection with forensics capabilities that protect company data on remote devices for employees who are now hybrid or completely remote.
Embracing new technologies
The cybersecurity industry has progressed due to technological advancements, particularly within the last 20 years. However, much more growth and development are required to combat potential threats’ increasing number and complexity. Constant research, development and innovation are being conducted to evolve solutions as fast as new threats occur. The community as a whole lacks intelligence on potential threats, which is a general trend in security. The data provided by endpoint protection, email threat protection, firewalls, unified threat management platforms, and intrusion prevention systems and processed comprehensively through a SOC results in a more effective method of protecting a company’s digital assets and a quicker and smarter threat response.
Despite threats being on the rise, the future of cybersecurity looks bright. Overall, companies and their employees are being more diligent and understand the importance of protecting their digital assets. Shifts in cybersecurity responsibility within corporate executive teams, the development of holistic incident response plans, and the embracing of new technology are all contributing to an improved outlook. As more businesses begin to pay attention and understand these threats and the importance of precautions, the cybersecurity landscape will continue to gain momentum and improve.