3 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2019
I’ve previously covered various “tech predictions” and “trends” from Big Data to Insurtech in the past and thought I would continue another feature, this time from the cybersecurity world.
Cybersecurity remains a hot topic and one which will continue to evolve as those pesky cyber criminals come up with new attacks from utilising emerging technology.
It has been reported that small firms will be adopting similar cybersecurity methods that large corporates use. We’ll definitely see SMEs stepping up and using ways to combat online hackers from threatening their daily business practises and they’ll make sure they will work with a set of guidelines that meet with certain cyber security protocols.
According to Forbes, while breaches within huge corporations will continue to grab the headlines, businesses of every size are under attack, especially in industries like healthcare, law and finance which, by trade, store and manage vast amounts of sensitive data. (IT Web, February 2019).
IoT attacks will remain an issue
All over the world we’ve seen Smart City initiatives and this gives hackers an opportunity to strike their deadly IoT attacks. Olli Jarva, a managing consultant for Synopsys mentioned in SC Magazine that these attacks could be approached from a data poisoning perspective in which faulty information is intended to influence organisational decision making through the sensors deployed within the target city or nationwide.
This year IoT will take centre stage and governments and organisations have become more aware of these potential attacks as the likes of smart cities and autonomous vehicles, continue to develop.
Our increasing connectivity to these IoT devices has interconnected with safety systems and this has meant that our cybersecurity fears have shifted from digital to physical.
This year will see a lot of focus on these physical risks as consumers will demand a high level of security and privacy.
Cyberwar
Quite a few commentators have mentioned this one in their predictions and it looks like a threat that will continue in 2019. This will probably start off with small-scale attacks from world leading powers such as the U.S., Russia and China. Artic Wolf Neworks’ Brian NeSmith mentions in his Forbes article that this goes behind voting machines, registered voter databases and other election-related technology.
He reminds us of the Russian cyberattack cut off electricity to a quarter-million Ukrainians days before Christmas in 2015 and believes similar scenarios will occur with increasing frequency.
Nesmith leaves us with a sobering reminder that in times of cyberwar, you don’t need to drop bombs to wipe out a country’s infrastructure. All it takes is a few expert hackers.
AI and ML finally get serious
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will finally find its true function with regards to cybersecurity this year and will evolve from its marketing phase.
Expect to see real-world, practical applications and use case studies of AI and ML, beyond concept phases and lengthy presentation slides. The future does look bright for this area of cybersecurity - according to a survey conducted by PwC, 46% of company execs say they use Artificial Intelligence to manage risk, fraud and cybersecurity attacks.
What are your thoughts?
There are obviously more predictions that could be added, but these three stood out for me. What are your thoughts and predictions? Feel free to tweet me using the hashtag #CyberSecurityPredictions19.
