CHALLENGES AND TRENDS FOR SECURITY PROFESSIONALS
Cybersecurity is an ever-changing landscape. New technologies and newer ways of handling emerging problems are constantly on the rise. With the wider application of Internet of Things(IoT) devices on global level and ever-increasing use of 5G technology, businesses all across the world are bracing to enhance their infrastructure. Another area they are focusing on relates to providing adequate training to all important decision makers of the organization.
With the passage of time, technology has taken a leap. The benefit of this enhancement has gone not only to the security professionals but also to malicious threat actors who create all the problems. The active involvement of these cyber criminals, who are now smarter and more knowledgeable than before, has made cybersecurity more of a complex nature. It is high time, therefore, to enforce strict measures against cyber crimes. This can be done in two ways and both are indispensable. First, proper measures should be installed to protect assets of the organization. Second, training should be given to all the workers to operate safely by remaining in combat mode all the time. They should be ready to respond to any threat in the shape of a cyber attack in a swift and befitting manner.
Cybersecurity Challenges
Here are a few challenges that affected the cybersecurity industry in 2021 and thereafter until recently
1. Remote Operations
The recent events brought on by the Covid pandemic have altered the way businesses operate. A large number of organizations has adopted work models that accommodate remote workforce. There is a constant increase in that number which is escalating the risk for cybersecurity.
It is plain to understand that security protocols can be enforced at a traditional office setting. But guaranteeing protection for remotely placed employees is not an ordinary task. It is a challenge because home based networks increase the chances of security breaches. The lack of control by a centralized authority is the key reason for distributed work environments.
2. 5G Challenge
Quite a few organizations and industries looked forward to the benefits the new 5G technology would bring. From cell phone companies to process industries, manufacturing plants to service based setups, every organization expected speed, responsiveness and enhanced operational efficiency. But every new technology and every new application comes with a drawback. There are unknown risks and the nature of risks would only be revealed over a period of time when it has been used and tested on a large scale. At the same time, cybersecurity professionals need to be on guard and in a state of vigil. The potential threats can be unexpected and unfamiliar. Knowing how to handle can consume time and a lot of improvisation.
3. Phishing Attacks
Although phishing is one of the earliest, if not the earliest, forms of attacks, it still is a threat that cannot be ignored or downplayed. A spike in phishing attacks was noticed in the last quarter of 2021 coinciding with the Covid vaccine campaign.
Reports were circulating all around the world that fake vaccination emails are being sent out in bulk and online users are constantly being trapped as a result. This turned out to be a challenge for cybersecurity professionals.
Training employees to identify phishing attacks is apparently the most effective strategy to beat the crime, although enforcing access control also works well even when employees are working remotely.
4. Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
There is a growing acceptance for digital currency these days. Blockchain and cryptocurrency are growing rapidly and attracting a wide following. Transactions running into billions of dollars are routinely being done. Reputable companies like Price Waterhouse Cooper have endorsed such transactions.
But since these modes of money exchange are based on digital technology, care has to be taken to make the transactions safe. Naturally some strict cybersecurity measures have to be adopted to protect people from identity theft, security breaches and several other threats. People dealing in such exchange of currency are careful to guard and protect their personal information. Organizations conducting such business should invest a decent amount to upgrade their IT infrastructure which would be of immense help in any event of cyber attack.
5. Internet of Things (IoT)
One of the latest in the fast developing IT industry is ‘Internet of Things’ which is essentially an interconnection of appliances via sensors that communicate.
The fascination for automation that has assumed epidemic proportions gave rise to connected devices which provide convenience and intelligent solutions to common everyday problems. But the presence of such devices inevitably means transmission and exchange of more data. As more data flows between devices, gaps form which allow cyber criminals to make an intrusion.
There is legislation that provides guidelines of use and protection for IoT devices, companies still need to invest a sizable amount to develop and maintain a minimal cybersecurity infrastructure and a dedicated work force to combat breaches. The Internet of Things cybersecurity act of 2020 may not be enough to provide foolproof security, but it is certainly the first step toward a more elaborate solution.
cybersecurity experts have outlined a number of other challenges confronting data and data management. The five above provide a good starting point for companies that really wish to provide a safe and secure work environment, free of snags and unexpected closures.
Cybersecurity Trends
Here are some trends that are commonly witnessed in the cybersecurity area.
Remote working
cybersecurity risks
The sudden and unexpected spread of Covid-19, acquiring the status of pandemic, has forced most organizations to redefine how they operate and conduct their day-to-day affairs. Most of the organizations have opted for a distributed workforce, operating from remote locations—often their homes. In 2021, working remotely rated as the most discussed topic. It is a trend that demands new protocols and new guidelines for effective security because remote working poses new cybersecurity risks. Homes and outstations are far less secure as compared to centralized offices where all employees reach to perform their daily tasks. Centrlized offices are often protected by firewalls, routers and access restrictions. On top of these dedicated IT teams constantly monitor and look for any suspicious activity. A home environment is ill equipped to counter the sophisticated approach of cyber criminals who find it easy to make inroads from gaps created by a distributed workforce.
The trend that was seen in 2021 continues beyond that year. Organizations are now finding ways to face the challenges of distributed workforce. This entails identifying vulnerabilities and adhering to strict security protocols. Plus, guaranteeing documentation and monitoring.
Blockchain and Crypto currency
Blockchain and cryptocurrency are relatively new forms of wealth exchange. Although this mode of exchange has found wide acceptance generating business worth billions of, cyber criminals continue to target the activity generated by the trade. In this area, ransomware and malicious crypto mining are fairly common and businesses will continue to lose their money because of the transient nature of cryptocurrency and the raw state of security associated with it. Until proper regulations are ensured, cyber criminals will take advantage of the vulnerabilities and spread malicious crypto software like the Lemon Duck and MrbMiner which can incur huge damages by driving costs for pay-per-computetime cloud services. In 2021, criminals racked up more than 406 million dollars in ransom as a result of attacks on cryptocurrency. With attacks in such magnitude, it is easy to see that cryptocurrencies and cyber criminals are closely linked.
The volatile value of cryptocurrency will continue to spur cyber crime involving the acquisition of cryptocurrency, not only ransomware but also with malicious crypto mining. Every time new server-side security vulnerabilities appear, threat actors take advantage of them to spread surreptitious crypto miner software to as many machines as possible and exploits capable of delivering those attacks persist in the wild indefinitely. To prevent crypto miners from planting their feet in the network, organizations need to put in place a potent defense mechanism like MFA together with virtual local area network to segregate network segments. By adopting these measures, the security teams would effectively restrict the paths that will allow external and unauthorized persons to enter the company network from public internet facilities.
The Evolving Trend of ‘Internet of Things (IoT)’
The constantly rising use of ‘Internet of Things (IoT)’ is creating new opportunities for cyber criminals. The ‘Internet of Things’ are actually physical devices besides than computers, servers and phones which are interconnected through the web. Smart devices like referigerators, wearable fitness trackers, , watches, appliances, voice assistants like Google Home and Amazon Echo all constitute IoT devices.
According to some estimates, more than 60 billion IoT devices will be running five years from now. This huge number will spawn a jungle of traffic. Cyber criminals who are always on prowl will be ready to pounce on any gap that they can find. Needless to say, it is easy to find a gap when the traffic is so dense and the magnitude so large. Moreover, IoT devices offer a number of potential entry points for criminals. As opposed to other devices like the laptops and mobile phones, IoT devices do not have processing or storage capabilities, which make it impossible to deploy firewalls, antivirus or other security apps. These are reasons that have elevated IoT to the status of ‘one of the most discussed trends’ of our times in the cybersecurity domain.
Phishing
Years earlier, it was fairly easy to identify a phishing message with its characteristic faulty language, plethora of typos and tall claims. But now, threat actors seem to invest some dollars on improving on their past mistakes to look more refined and believable. Phishing messages now direct their victims to link addresses which are marked as https:// which create a false sense of trust to make them appear as authentic. Sometimes, the messages are personalized and talk of specific details. Often, unsuspecting victims click those links to open the gates for the malicious actors. The security team working in an organization should train the employees to recognize phishing emails. The common employee, after adequate training should have enough skill to tell the difference between what is safe and what is harmful.