The cyber security landscape is a complex and evolving environment, and tactics used by cyber criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated as technology evolves. Although this can make it challenging for businesses to stay across all of the latest developments, there are a number of solutions that can help better protect employees, customers and business’ assets.
The accelerated use of digital tools in today’s businesses and the increasing reliance on them for productivity, client communications and collaboration mean cyber security preventions need to go hand-in-hand with these tech tools. This is because cyber criminals are advancing their technology at the same rate as businesses; leveraging these tech advancements for adversarial purposes.
For small businesses, having the appropriate cyber security measures in place is more important than ever. The good news is that by simply being aware of cyber security trends, you can better anticipate the cyber threats of tomorrow and gain greater clarity on which defensive solutions can help protect your business.
Let’s explore some of the latest cyber security trends being utilised to protect businesses while bringing awareness to the latest strategies being employed by cyber criminals.
Trends in cyber security threats
Cloud-based data breaches
With the rapid and widespread uptake of cloud-based technology due to hybrid workplace models, cloud-based security threats continue to be one of the biggest trends to be aware of. This is because organisations are now not only obtaining larger quantities of data, but also centralising them in the cloud. This creates a risk since that data can be accessed by more people from more locations and that includes third parties like external suppliers.
Mobile threats continue to grow
The shift towards remote working has accelerated the growth of mobile device use. For remote workers, it’s common to alternate between a range of mobile devices, including tablets and phones, as well as using public Wi-Fi networks and remote collaboration tools. Trending threats in this space include spyware that is designed to spy on encrypted messaging apps, mobile-specific malware, and cyber criminals leveraging mobile device loopholes. As a result, mobile threats continue to grow and evolve.
Cyber-Crime-as-a-Service (CaaS)
This is when experienced cyber criminals with advanced coding capabilities develop advanced tools or services (like phishing and malware kits) and make them available to often less experienced or capable cyber criminals. The result is that even individuals with limited knowledge and expertise can carry out attacks with relative ease. This evolving trend has created a marketplace where the accumulated knowledge of a vast network of experienced cyber criminals can be leveraged by a single person.
Trends in cyber security defensive solutions
Using automation to bolster defences
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning means that cyber security automation is becoming increasingly available to organisations. With the world of business more digitised than ever before, the sheer amount of data online means automation is anticipated to become more of a necessity than a ‘nice to have’. This is because automation will likely provide a boost in overall defences thanks to quicker detection, faster response times, and a decrease in human error.
Compared to manual processes, automated surveying of your business’ security framework can help identify unusual activity, as well as filter large quantities of information to identify and diminish possible breaches faster.
Greater investment in real-time data monitoring
Real-time data monitoring is the process of collecting and storing performance metrics for data as it streams your network. By using this kind of third-party, cloud-based software for monitoring data, IT and security professionals can take action on data breaches faster, helping to reduce the likelihood of larger-scale impacts. This includes identifying unusual or suspicious traffic, unauthorised access requests, and other potentially harmful behaviour on your network.
With greater visibility of what’s happening in real time, businesses can be more agile in activating their incident response plans which can potentially save costs, protect their reputation, and better protect sensitive customer data.
A shift towards zero-trust architecture
With the emergence of the hybrid working world, defences have shifted from being focused on physical networks and perimeters and more toward access management and user behaviour analytics. This could include more businesses implementing a zero-trust architecture. What this means is a shift toward giving individuals a ‘just enough’ level of access privilege needed to perform their role. Plus, the use of behavioural analytics could be employed to create a baseline of user behaviour and more easily identify anomalies in activity.
Talk to us about cyber security needs for your business
If you would like to be on the front foot when it comes to cyber security for your business and want assistance in helping improve your security infrastructure, our team can help. We’ll take the time to understand your business, and conduct a cyber security audit to identify the biggest risks to your operations. From there, we can suggest tech solutions and cyber security services to better protect you and your team. Talk to us today, and let’s get securing.
