TechDogs-"Top Trends 2022 - Cybersecurity"

Cyber Security

Top Trends 2022 - Cybersecurity

By TechDogs Editorial Team

TechDogs
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Overview

When you think of famous supervillains from movies, who comes to your mind? The Joker from Batman and Thanos from Avengers are obvious choices but then, there was Gru as well, whose name you would have probably missed - the man tried to steal the Moon! For Heavens! Truth be told, the best supervillains are those who carry out their evil schemes in secrecy – they let you think everything is normal while they are carrying out their malicious deeds in the background! Sounds familiar?

Yes, we’re talking about the ever-evolving Cybersecurity threats caused by villains and hackers. Thoughtful approaches to address Cybersecurity must be considered if you want to tackle all the important Cybersecurity vulnerabilities and issues that 2022 has in store for you. Trust us, it's enough to make any normal cyber citizen just a little bit paranoid (but is it really paranoia if the threat is real?). To stay safe, you need to be aware of the current trends that are shaping the Cybersecurity landscape.

So, back up your data, grab some coffee and get up to speed about the latest villainous Cybersecurity Trends in 2022. Did we mention to back up your data? (Shudders...)
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According to the US's Identity Theft Resource Center, there were more data breaches by Q3 of 2021 than in all of 2020 and we're on track to break all data breach records - ever. It's not just the number of breaches that's concerning, hackers are accessing more higher quality data than ever before. What’s more is that there’s been a significant increase in ransomware attacks, just as we predicted last year in our article, Cybersecurity Trends for 2021. Yes, they represent a very real threat to businesses, consumers and systems that power industries from healthcare to energy to finance. It’s truly going to be a scary world out there. Clearly, to be prepared for it, you need to keep up with the latest technology and trends in Cybersecurity - and we’ve got you just that.

Check out these 5 major trends that will impact Cybersecurity in 2022. Fret not, it’s not as scary as it sounds. Who are we kidding? You might want to worry just a little bit.
 

Trend 1: All Hail The New Cybersecurity Buzzword - The “Cybersecurity Mesh”


TechDogs-"Trend 1: All Hail The New Cybersecurity Buzzword - The “Cybersecurity Mesh”-Meme From Harry Potter - A Series Of Seven Fantasy Novels Written By British Author J. K. Rowling - It'S Not Cybersecurity Mess It'S Cybersecurity Mesh!
With technology ecosystems expanding rapidly - thanks to remote workers, contractor relationships and data-collection touchpoints such as mobile apps, websites and IoT devices - Cybersecurity is no longer an on-premises initiative. We need to create expansive network security approaches to cover every possible loose end of our network. Think of hacktivist groups like fsociety (from Mr. Robot, of course!), who have an entire army of hackers trying to find the smallest chink in your Cybersecurity armor.

Luckily, Gartner has given us a name to help tackle this phenomenon - the Cybersecurity Mesh. According to Gartner, "The Cybersecurity Mesh is a modern conceptual approach to a security architecture that enables the distributed enterprise to deploy and extend security where it's most needed." #TakeThatFsociety

This approach considers each business device individually and secures it with firewalls, antivirus software or anti-malware tools. The traditional method used a single perimeter for the entire IT environment. Ideally, you would want to secure all doors and windows individually, instead of building a single fence around your house for protection, right? Especially with today's IT environments being, essentially, many networks in one, it requires many different levels of security measures. There's no "one size fits all" when it comes to Cybersecurity, friends!

Hence, Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA) or a decentralized Cybersecurity strategy will be adopted by more and more businesses in 2022. With CSMA, organizations will approach Cybersecurity in a more agile, scalable and (importantly) decentralized manner, helping them combat anarchists like fsociety from accessing their sensitive financial data.

TechDogs’ Opinion: CSMA will leverage existing security tools and architectures like XDR (Extended Detection and Response), a popular approach that unifies multiple security systems within one centralized platform. This will enable businesses to quickly optimize and develop a CSMA approach that will provide interoperability, without having to start from scratch. These platforms will include important Cybersecurity functions like automated monitoring, analysis, remediation and detection, etc. This will serve as a foundation for creating a security analytics and intelligence layer, which is critical to the CSMA approach.
 

Trend 2: The Global Cybersecurity Attack Surface Is Expanding


Here’s a nice tidbit for you - by 2025, the world will store 200 zettabytes of data. For the lesser nerds, one zettabyte = 1000 terabytes which is equivalent to roughly 30 billion 4K movies or 60 billion video games. That's right, we said BILLION!
 
The (not-so) fun part – the easier it is to generate this data, the harder it is to protect it. Especially when it’s scattered across a digital universe comprised of virtual interactions, internet-connected devices, distracted employees working from home and a boatload of bad actors' intent on finding ways to exploit and extort businesses. Essentially, Dr. Evil and his mini-me!

Well, we could write another series of articles exploring the staggering amount of data we generate and store each year - but let's focus on Cybersecurity for now! The more data we create, the more sensitive information is accessible from our home offices, making us even more vulnerable to Dr. Evil.

It's not just home offices that pose a security risk, though. The "cyber-attack surface" (i.e., the number of possible entry points that can be breached by an attacker) is also increasing. There were an estimated 50 billion connected devices in April 2021, each armed with multiple sensors. That’s more than 6 devices for every person in the world! All in all, it’s clear that our hyperconnected world will serve as a gigantic heap of treasure for looters to plunder and ransack.

TechDogs’ Opinion: This trend – the expanding attack surfaces - is directly connected to the previous one - the need for businesses to leverage the CSMA approach. There is no magic bullet to button up security across an ever-expanding cyberattack surface. The need of the hour is effective Cybersecurity initiatives that will utilize AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning (ML) to identify and prioritize threats, conduct business analytics and create reporting dashboards which will allow you to monitor users and access points and get automated alerts. As we would put it - with a great attack surface, comes great responsibility to adopt a CSMA approach! #SpidermanSaidSo
 

Trend 3: Business Context Will Be Crucial For (Successful) Security Capabilities

 
In a recent Cybersecurity analysis by Gartner titled The Urgency to Treat Cybersecurity as a Business Decision, Paul Procter writes about the importance of setting realistic business expectations around Cybersecurity, particularly when it comes to the actual investment that companies make. "The amount you spend on Cybersecurity doesn’t reflect your level of protection," writes Procter.

While increasing spending and investment in Cybersecurity programs was a definite trend last year and will likely to continue into 2022, simply dumping money into Cybersecurity programs does not guarantee success. It's also not a sure-fire way to keep executives and board members engaged with the process. In a nutshell, more money does not mean more security.

On the contrary, it can give boards and executives a false sense of (cyber)security. What this means is that executives aren't as engaged with the process and protocols of their organization's Cybersecurity strategy, placing high (read unrealistic) expectations on CIOs and CISOs.

So, this year, to cure the disconnect between Cybersecurity and business decision makers, organizations will start taking a more holistic approach to Cybersecurity readiness, just as they would with any digital transformation initiative. Essentially, avoid being Gideon Goddard, the CEO of Allsafe Cybersecurity from Mr. Robot, who had to clear malicious code from the company servers because he did not pay attention to the relevant Cybersecurity context!

TechDogs’ Opinion: To be ready to take on the possible security challenges, organizations will have to first focus on the technologies that supports their business goals. They would have to prioritize the most important outcomes; the processes involved in it and focus on securing those first and ensuring to invest there the most. Then, they would have to couple those technologies with the right talent to create a solid Cybersecurity infrastructure. Instead of throwing more money into the organization’s Cybersecurity initiatives, a detailed analysis of threats and challenges will allow businesses to build a secure ecosystems.
 

Trend 4: Ransomware Is A Rising Threat For 2022

 
We've discussed the expanding Cybersecurity attack surface and how a Cybersecurity Mesh approach can help protect the companies from threats. We'd be remiss if we didn't note thetop Cybersecurity threat companies faced in 2021 was ransomware and it will continue to spread its malice in 2022 too. Oh, come on!

Ransomware is malicious code in a software installed by bad guys, which enables them to lock a business or person out of a computer system until a demand is met (typically, a specific amount of money is paid to the hacker) or until an amazing IT tech like Lea Abigail Dilallo (the Good Doctor lead!) is able to secure the data otherwise #HappensOnlyInFictionalShows.

Ransomware works by encrypting a company's sensitive data, enabling all kinds of unsavory things to happen including data theft, security breaches and compromising important (even critical) systems.
Datamation predicts that ransomware attacks will become more prevalent, thanks to a couple of converging industry trends including the rapid adoption of remote workforces, more connected (IoT) devices (that is, an expanding attack surface) and increasing mobile usage.

TechDogs’ Opinion: We believe not only would ransomware threats increase in 2022 but, we will also see more hackers getting in on the fun by providing ransomware-as-a-service, making it possible for non-technical criminals to hire ransomware developers and create new variants. #NoKidding

In 2022, the key to prevent ransomware attacks will be preparedness. This will include maintaining regular data backups so that business continuity isn't affected in the event of a ransomware attack. Moreover, businesses should invest in robust threat detection tools that will allow real-time analysis and response. For organizations relying on connected and IoT devices, regularly updating their anti-virus and maintaining the latest software patch will go a long way in preventing ransomware attacks.
 

Trend 5: There Will Be Zero Trust In 2022

 
When it comes to Cybersecurity, we had a lot of trust issues in 2021. Thankfully, we relied on Zero Trust security. This is yet another trend that’s here to stay for 2022. Zero Trust security is an IT framework that restricts access controls to IT administrators via networks, applications and environments (and away from users). The mantra of this model is "trust no one!" not even your employees (maybe especially not your employees).

Insider threats from users with legitimate access to your systems are a real and growing trend. They can come from current or former employees, contractors or even vendors. About 15% to 25% of security breaches come from a trusted source like a business partner. (So, maybe don’t trust one out of four business partners! Just kidding!) This is where Zero Trust comes in. It's an enterprise security approach that doesn't sacrifice performance or user experience. It works by layering in an added security throughout your systems and network and restricting access controls.

A Zero Trust system moves away from the use of firewalls, VPNs, SIEMs and other gateways in favor of building multiple layers of security that are difficult to breach within the system itself. Makes sense, right? With this approach, there are strict identity verification protocols for users, even when they're inside the network. Administrators can limit user's access to use tools and data for unverified sources, which means that if an unauthorized user gets in, they can't ravage the entire system.

Think of Zero Trust as a segmented approach to security, with clearance required not just to enter the network environment but to navigate through every part of it (in horror movie terms, the caller is inside the house but he's also locked in the bathroom so he can't do much damage!).

TechDogs’ Opinion: All roads in 2022 point to remote work continuing, even once the virus goes away (and, oh please, let it go away). In fact, 65% of companies expect at least some of their workforce to remain remote indefinitely, while most businesses will explore a hybrid workforce approach.

This presents several security challenges that a Zero Trust model can successfully address. Businesses undergoing digital transformation initiatives will tend to be vulnerable to ransomware attacks (trend 4) and have a larger organizational surface attack area (trend 2), making the entire network susceptible. A Zero Trust architecture will help minimize the security and governance issues in such scenarios. #WeTrustZeroTrust

Nevertheless, businesses must realize that the implementation of Zero Trust will vary for each organization and a thorough evaluation of the security architecture should precede with this step.
 

Conclusion

 
We get it. Cybersecurity is a huge beast to tackle. However, planning, preparation and vigilance will go a long way towards helping you keep your business, employees and customers protected from Cybersecurity threat.

If there's one thing, we hope you'll take away from these trends, it's to back up your data! Okay, we lied. We also want you to keep all your systems and software up to date.

We lied again. Remember to trust no one! There are a million Dr. Evils and his mini-mes out there, all of them scheming to find cracks in your virtual armor. Once they get inside, they can lock you out. Be prepared. Stay vigilant. Make sure every single person in your organization - from the top of the organization chart to the bottom - is part of a companywide Cybersecurity strategy.

Also, don’t forget to keep yourself up to date with the latest tools, technologies and insights and combat all threats that come your way.

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