Previously, cyber security was largely thought of as a backend function, reserved for IT groups, and wasn’t often talked about publicly. This has changed drastically in the last few years, with the Cyber Security market becoming an issue across all sectors, and more importantly; CEO level conversations. All types of businesses, from the newest startup to long-standing global companies, are seriously considering what the best way to protect their assets, infrastructure and reputation, in a much more methodical way. Cyber security is growing at an alarming rate, but what is more regarding to me than just growth, is how the types of threats have evolved and how businesses are addressing them. Organizations are no longer waiting for an incident to occur, they are proactively working at minimizing threats by developing stronger, and better developed systems.
Cyber Security Market Shift: From Prevention to Continuous Defense
In the past, most organizations were concerned with establishing thick walls to secure their systems. That meant relying on traditional security methods like firewalls, antivirus programs, and basic monitoring techniques. Back then, it was easier to keep secured systems because most of the threats were not as dynamic as they are today.
Today, that perspective is no longer relevant. The new way that cybercriminals operate is different; they will constantly attack your system until they find something of use. Cybercriminals now have multiple chances to gain access into your network due to the large number of devices connected to it. Many companies have changed their approach and are moving towards a more continuous way to defend against these attacks. Companies are implementing new technologies that allow them to use Security Operations Centers (SOCs), provide real-time threat intelligence, and automate responses. The focus for companies is not only to block attacks but also to quickly identify abnormal activity, respond promptly, and reduce any damage done before it spreads.
How Cloud Adoption Is Reshaping Cyber Security
As a growing number of businesses migrate to the cloud, the increased flexibility and scalability of cloud-based systems has also changed how organizations approach security. Traditional security models were developed for fixed infrastructures; all data and applications were kept within the confines of a controlled environment. Because of this, organizations could easily create controls to protect themselves against threats, but now that cloud environments provide a greater level of flexibility and scalability than traditional systems ever did, there are new levels of risk that must be managed. The introduction of misconfigured settings, weak access controls and unsecured APIs create new opportunities for attackers to gain access to an organization’s data if they are not properly secured.
With this in mind, cloud security is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing areas within the cyber security industry. Companies are investing in tools and solutions that give them greater visibility into their multi-cloud and hybrid environments so that they can ensure their data is protected regardless of location or means of access.
The Rise of Zero Trust Architecture
In conversations about cybersecurity, zero trust is a frequent subject discussed; while this may seem technical or difficult to understand, the basic philosophy is really very simple – never assume anything that is on your network is ‘safe’ by default.
In the past, once a person had gained access to the corporate network they typically had access to most all resources within that corporate network, which created an enormous amount of risk because one compromised user account could potentially allow access to multiple resources, creating larger breaches of security.
Zero trust eliminates this way of thinking entirely – every user, device & application need to be verified at ALL times, before access is granted. Access is based on strict identification processes using a two-step (or more) authentication process as well as limiting the amount of access to be granted to a user, device, or application (e.g. printers versus database access). This method is becoming more popular because it is well aligned with many of the new forms of work opportunities, ranging from remote working, to mobile devices, to distributed work teams – where the traditional definitions around the boundaries of true businesses/networking are becoming more and more blended; zero-trust provides a means for organizations to successfully navigate through this complexity while still having an authoritative level of control over the access rights of those who will be using their resources.
Small Businesses Are Now in the Spotlight
Cyber attacks are now affecting more than just very large companies with massive amounts of stored data. A growing number of small and medium sized companies are being affected by these attacks. In many instances, smaller companies have less security available and less sophisticated systems making them easier to victimize.
The impact of this change on the market is to increase the availability of low-cost, easy-to-deploy security solutions that are designed for smaller organizations. These smaller organizations want practical tools that they can use to provide a high level of protection without needing a large internal security team. The popularity of managed security services is increasing. By working with a 3rd party vendor to provide these services, instead of building their own security infrastructure, companies will be able to focus on their core business activities while still being able to maintain a high level of security.
How AI Is Reshaping Cyber Security on Both Sides
Cybersecurity is increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Security teams utilize AI to enhance their detection of threats and their ability to respond quickly and efficiently to situations. AI systems help security teams sift through large amounts of data to find unusual or suspicious activities and quickly identify potential threats. AI allows the security team to automate certain tasks, which lowers the amount of time it takes a team to respond to a detected threat. For instance, when a threat is detected, the security team can leverage AI to take automatic, immediate action, such as isolating damaged devices from the network or blocking suspicious activity.
Additionally, attackers are using AI to assist with improving how they execute their attacks. For example, many phishing attacks are now using AI to create much more believable email content, and attackers are using automated tools to help them find vulnerabilities in target organizations.
