As 2022 gets underway, Infosecurity Magazine has published a list of those security issues they see trending – and makes some predictions regarding what we can expect to see this year. With organizations increasing digitization and technology and cyber criminals intensifying their attacks, it is imperative to stay on top of the predictions of industry insiders. The good news is, as we enter the New Year, we are seeing companies of all sizes taking cybersecurity more seriously than ever before.

cybersecurity

10 Predictions to Keep Your Eye On

  1. Cyber Insurance: Because of surging attacks and increasing ransom demands, cyber insurance has been pushed to the forefront – but is not without its share of controversy. Some believe that insurance payouts to those holding data for ransom only encourage criminals to continue their nefarious activities. Still, companies can protect themselves to a large degree by obtaining insurance that will help them to weather these attacks without losing their business. It is expected that in 2022, even more, small businesses will look into cyber insurance. This move towards the product means that insurance providers will likely standardize these offerings and make them more obtainable for all types and sizes of companies.
  2. Stolen Cryptocurrency: 2021 saw several high-value cryptocurrency thefts, including $610m worth of cryptocurrency from a single entity. Sadly, this trend is increasing in frequency – likely due to the lack of regulation surrounding the currency. As cryptocurrencies are more widely adopted throughout the marketplace, thefts of these currencies are expected to grow.
  3. Deepfake Technology: Deepfake technology is becoming more realistic every day, and it is increasingly difficult to distinguish from the genuine article. The ability to fool victim companies by realistically (and fraudulently) impersonating specific individuals over video or audio is causing a lot of concern in the industry. AI is expected to make these scams even more challenging to catch and avoid. In fact, deepfake attacks have increased by 43% since 2019.
  4. AI Utilized to Fight Cybercrime: AI can be used for nefarious purposes but can also be used as a force for good. AI can identify and remediate cyber threats, especially the massive amount of ransomware attacks occurring around the globe. This is expected to ease the time constraints of IT personnel already stretched to the limit, transferring laborious security efforts to the AI function.
  5. Additional Data Protection Legislation: There has been a recent flood of global data protection legislation and privacy rules, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
    California, Colorado, and Virginia have legislated comprehensive privacy laws for 2022, and several other states have instituted privacy laws related to specific sectors. Industry experts expect a federal privacy law to be passed shortly; no one is sure when this may materialize.
  6. Zero Trust Becoming Mainstream: Protecting the growing hybrid workforce from risk will inspire security experts to adopt more contemporary technologies such as the zero-trust approach to security. The zero trust model shifts data network defenses toward a more comprehensive IT security model that permits companies to restrict access controls to networks and applications without sacrificing performance levels or user experience. 2022 will be the year when organizations ‘verify everything’ instead of simply trusting something is safe.
  7. Government to Step Up Cybersecurity Efforts: Both the United States and UK governments have joined the cybersecurity fight, taking on active roles in improving their nation’s data security and resiliency.
  8. Innovative Cyber-Awareness Training: The transition to hybrid and remote working situations has elevated employee exposure to cyber-attacks, rendering their business more vulnerable to security breaches such as stolen credentials, social engineering, or unpatched software. Therefore, cybersecurity has become the responsibility of the entire workforce, not just the IT department. This necessitates creative approaches to awareness training and cyber security education.
  9. More Focus on Supply Chain Risks: Supply chain security came to the forefront in 2021, from meatpacking plants to gasoline. 2022 should see companies introducing new security approaches in response to the growing threat. When protecting security, organizations will look at their own processes and the logistics and security efforts of their supply chain.
  10. Stronger Cloud Resiliency: Cloud services have grown significantly during the last two years, as hybrid workplaces used the cloud to adapt to new workforce realities. Experts expect cloud resiliency efforts to ramp up considerably in the next 12 months with so many new users. Cloud providers who bulk up their security will likely rise to the top of the competitive marketplace as clients seek a safer way to do business.

Finally, managed services will continue to grow as companies realize that these threats and challenges are more extensive in scope than they can handle in-house. For more information on how Alliance IT can help you fortify your data resiliency and cybersecurity protocols, call us today.