10 cyber security trends to look out for in 2019

[The AchieVer]

What cyber security trends and issues can the world expect in 2018: more stringent regulation, creations of new roles? Read on...

The cyber security conundrum continues to bamboozle organisations. What will the environment look like in 2019?

2018 was an interesting year for all things cyber.

It was the year that brought major breaches pretty much every week. Most recently, the Marriott Hotel group suffered a significant data breach, while Quora fell foul to some cyber criminals.

Cyber security is still the issue on every business leaders mind.

This year, organisations have had to get their house in order with GDPR, amongst others, coming into force on 25 May. The stakes for protecting your organisation from cyber threats have never been higher.

So, what can we expect to see in 2019 then? Here are some things to consider.

Cyber security regulations improvement

We need to see a continuing improvement in the relevant regulations as apply to cyber security.

Cyber security best practice: Training and technology

Here, we look at cyber security best practice — everything from defining it to the importance of training. Read here

The dynamic and fast-moving nature of cyber security outpaces regulation which is far too slow and clumsy to be of any benefit and might actually hinder security by building a culture of compliance with regulations and a false sense of security against enemies who are agile, motivated, and clever.

Data theft turning into data manipulation

We can expect to see attackers changing their methodology from pure data theft and website hacking to attacking data integrityitself.

>See also: The Trojan horse: 2017 cyber security trends

 This type of attack, in comparison to a straightforward theft of data, will serve to cause long-term, reputational damage to individuals or groups by getting people to question the integrity of the data in question.

Demand will continue to rise for security skills

A global shortage of cyber security skills in the workplace arguably makes organisations more desirable targets for hacking.

Demand for expertise will rise as companies realise that their current IS strategy is not sufficient.

Also, with companies increasingly insourcing their security needs, internal training and skills growth has to continue to accelerate. Tailored training programmes are crucial.

Cyber security training: Is it lacking in the enterprise?

This article looks at the importance of cyber security training and education in the enterprise. Read here

Cyber security and Internet of Things (IoT)

‘Secure by design’ will garner much copy, but probably will not deliver until 2019 or beyond. We’ll have to wait and see with this, as connected devices are increasing in circulation by the day, and perhaps it is only a matter of time before the security vulnerabilities are exposed — could there be a repeat of the Mirai Botnet in 2019?

Indeed, the next generation of AI-powered attacks will be crafty enough to emulate the behaviours of specific users to fool even skilled security personnel.

This might include the ability to craft complex and bespoke phishing campaigns that will successfully fool even the most threat-conscious among us.

 

Attackers will continue to target consumer devices

Ransomware is a recognised problem for companies of all shapes and sizes, epitomised by the large scale WannaCry attack that decimated the UK’s NHS and organisations around the world.

In 2019 and beyond, will we start to see consumers being targeted across a range of connected objects? This is a likely scenario, with examples coming out of child predators targeting IoT devices in toys (designed for children).

>See also: The top 5 trends that will define the cyber security landscape in 2016

Attackers might even target the smart TV in your house via a ransomware attack that would require you to pay a fee to unlock it.

A guide to cyber attacks: Malware – Part 1

As part of a three part guide on cyber attacks, we begin by exploring existing types of malware. Read here

Attackers will become bolder, more commercial less traceable

Hackers will look to become more organised and more commercialised, perhaps even having their own call centres – something already seen with fraudulent dating sites.

They will look to base themselves in countries where cybercrime is barely regarded as a crime and thereby placing themselves outside their victims’ police jurisdictions.

Attackers will get smarter

Attackers capability to write bespoke targeted code will continue to improve faster than the defenders ability to counter or get ahead of it.

They will continue to exploit the Dark Web, a small portion of the Deep Web, in order to successfully hide and to communicate with other criminals.

Who is responsible for cyber security in the enterprise?

Uncertainty is widespread across companies over who takes the lead on cyber security, according to Willis Towers Watson. Read here

Breaches will get more complicated and harder to beat

Cybercriminals will look to grow their malicious activities using malicious code in ever more devious ways.

Such a ransomware variant has already been discovered using an innovative system to increase infections: the software turns victims into attackers by offering a pyramid scheme-style discount.

>See also: The cyber security industry is losing the cyber war

If the victim passes on a link to the malware and two or more people install this file and pay, the original victim has their files decrypted for free.

Cyber risk insurance will become more common

This type of insurance will increasingly become part of operational risk strategy however, the insurance industry needs to tailor products specific to client needs and not just provide blanket cover as extensions to existing risks.

Cyber insurance: A comprehensive guide to cyber liability insurance

Due to the propensity of cyber attacks — costing the global economy $600bn annually — cyber insurance has emerged as the latest solution in this succession. Read here

As the industry evolves we might see cyber insurance covering for loss of reputation and trust with their customers, loss of future revenue from negative media or other exposure, and improvement costs for security infrastructure or system upgrades.

New job titles appearing – CCO (chief cybercrime officer)

In the aftermath of the TalkTalk data breach, MPs recommended appointing an officer with day-to-day responsibility for protecting computer systems from attack.

Will 2019 see organisations looking to appoint a chief cybercrime officer?

The CCO would be responsible for ensuring that an organisation is cyber-ready, would bear the responsibility for preventing breaches, would take the lead if a breach did occur and provide a robust connection between the board and the rest of the company.

 

Source