As all aspects of operational processes for businesses and organization transition to the digital world, whether through cloud solutions or other means, cyber security is becoming increasingly critical to the viability of those businesses. With threats rapidly increasing, technology has taken the lead in delivering the effective, adaptable solutions required in a digital world where attacks are constantly evolving in nature and complexity.
As those threats continue to evolve, so the technology used to counter them has too, with the cyber security industry now one of the leading innovators in emerging technologies. Here are the five leading trends in cyber security we have seen in 2022.
1. Increased threats elevate risk exposure
With more business processes being digital in nature, and more threats targeting data at all levels, the risk is increasing for all organizations. It is crucial that all digital transitions and existing processes are evaluated continually so that stakeholders are aware of vulnerabilities in the different areas and work towards the implementation of appropriate preventative measures.
2. AI and Machine Learning for automated protection
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are excellent tools for cyber security, as they learn and adapt to behavior patterns of threats of all kinds. In continuous operation, these systems can analyze millions of events incredibly quickly, using that data to identify current and new threats as they emerge. With data leakage risks, and especially cloud data risks offering mission-critical problems for businesses today, the ability to constantly monitor for issues and fix vulnerabilities before they can be exploited is essential.
With AI-driven systems, risks can be identified and dealt with before they become an event, offering superior reactions on live systems compared to other solutions.
3. Phishing and Ransomware attacks
With data central to the critical processes of so many organizations today, it is arguably the most valuable commodity many own. As a result, attacks that essentially lock down data until a fee is paid, holding it to ransom, are becoming increasingly common. In many businesses, data lockdown can completely cripple all activity, having appropriate protections is crucial for future viability.
4. Improved understanding
As organizational leadership becomes more aware of the risks to mission-critical data and systems, educating teams and individuals on the necessity of protective diligence in data handling and other processes is something we are seeing more of. This type of education and raising awareness, encouraging employees to adopt best practices for their activities and understand the latest measures available to protect them, is a key aspect of delivering the all-encompassing protection that larger organizations must have today.
5. Rewiring the system
Finally, while technology continues to evolve and deliver ever more effective solutions for cyber security, budgeting and decision-making are still the key elements that define a new cyber security implementation. By not assigning enough resources or making choices that move away from best practice recommendations and the latest in technological solutions, organizations can find themselves left behind in an arms race between cyber criminals and security developers.
Conclusion
As organizations become more aware of the risks they face through cyber criminality, so the need for effective cyber security solutions grows. However, while AI and machine learning are redefining real-time, adaptive solutions that eliminate risks before they can be exploited, problems still remain.
The value of data is such that phishing and ransomware attacks are becoming highly lucrative, as many organizations would simply cease to function without access to their data, and a need to educate and build awareness among employees on the ways in which a variety of attacks can be initiated is essential.
Finally, despite technological advancement, budgets and leadership choices are still defining cyber security responses and how effectively protected organizations may be.
For more information on how to cope with new trends and emerging attacks with the help of AI please contact us and one of our experts will be happy to assist you.