cyber
TRENDS device management , prioritising their security remediation efforts and having increased visibility into security risks before it ’ s too late . By having this foresight , organisations can limit , if not stop cyberattacks , reducing the risk and meeting the strict and evolving compliance and regulatory obligations .
Second , focus on implementing proactive measures for threat prevention and detection . Security and IT leaders will need to prioritise the implementation of AI-powered cyber exposure management solutions , recognising their critical role in the security stack for 2024 and beyond . Systems that monitor billions of endpoints and correlate their patterns and trends to evolving global threat intelligence through AI will offer organisations an edge on the digital battlefield .
Third , as GenAI becomes widely adopted at scale within the bad actor community , the value of traditional security awareness training will decline rapidly . Attackers will use deepfakes strategically to steal funds and information , antiquating current security training .
The focus next will then be for companies to modernise their security programmes to include continuous user-focused controls to better defend against modern social engineering attacks , alongside real-time guidance to prevent users from accidentally falling victim to such attacks .
And finally , automation .
Organisations need to prioritise security across the entire organisation , including employee-owned devices , to mitigate risk . This can ’ t be done manually , as there ’ s just too many assets with potentially unknown vulnerabilities . That ’ s why automation is key in helping bridge the security skills gap , manage the security posture at scale and see , protect and manage the entire attack surface in real-time .
The evolving role of a CISO
Modernising security programmes may be one part of the blueprint , but to ensure a successful strategy for 2024 , it ultimately rests on the shoulders of the person in post – the CISO . The evolving ecosystem of cybersecurity demands a proactive individual who keeps their finger on the pulse , taking stock of any future challenges , such as the quantum threat to cybersecurity .
With its superior computational capabilities , nextgen quantum is set to make existing cybersecurity cryptographic protocols obsolete . While still in development , there ’ s a risk to current data as bad actors collect encrypted information now in the hope that quantum computers can break encryption in the near future , giving rise to ‘ harvest now , decrypt later ’ attacks . This future problem requires immediate solutions for a CISO .
The role also requires leaders who can forge collaborations beyond the realm of IT . Collaborative efforts with peers from various business functions – often those related to risk management , regulatory compliance and privacy concerns – not only align the security programme with business objectives but also provide better communication and support across the enterprise .
In recent years , the voices of CISOs have gained prominence in the boardroom too , fuelled by the increasing frequency and impact of cyberattacks across industries . The COVID-19 pandemic further heightened the focus on security exposures and the potential for disruption . Since then , CISOs are not just heard but are directly accountable for cybersecurity risks in board discussions . It ’ s a role that must cooperate with other parts of the business to better understand and analyse threats to the business and relay this to the board and stakeholders in terms they can understand and act on .
Fortifying for the future
In a recent advisory , the National Cybersecurity Centre ( NCSC ) emphasised the critical need for organisations to accelerate their cyber-resilience in the face of changing threats . Ultimately , that starts with the visibility of the entire global attack surface in a central platform .
To achieve visibility , it involves a holistic examination of an organisation ’ s entire digital footprint . This includes the identification and assessment of all assets , networks and systems that could potentially be targeted by cyberthreats . By thoroughly mapping the attack surface , CISOs can better comprehend their organisations ’ vulnerabilities and proactively address potential weak points .
A robust defence is built on the foundation of awareness and understanding . Only then can an organisation implement effective security measures , promptly respond to emerging threats and bolster their overall cyber-resilience in 2024 .
Organisations need to prioritise security across the entire organisation .
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