Cybersecurity Trends: A Look Into the Future
Last year, I discussed the significant role Artificial Intelligence (AI) would play in the field of cybersecurity. A year later, it’s clear that AI isn’t just important—it’s instrumental—and will continue to be in the years to come.
Artificial Intelligence and Future Threats
However, as we look to the future, what we can anticipate are an escalating number of malware threats spearheaded by AI. It’s vital to remember though, that amidst the changing landscape of cybersecurity threats, change remains the only constant.
- A positive change en route could be the shift from passwords to passkeys. A new standard, known as Fido, is more secure, convenient, and doesn’t require users to send a password.
- AI-based phishing emails are likely to increase. These emails can convincingly trick people into providing their personal credentials. With no password to share, phishing becomes less of a threat.
Deepfakes and the Changing Landscape of Cybersecurity
As we further delve into the potential of Generative AI, the increased use of deepfakes is especially concerning. Deepfake technology, which simulates the voice, image, and likeness of individuals is becoming increasingly sophisticated.
However, the reality is that deepfake detection technology is unlikely to be foolproof. What’s imperative is building security measures that decrease our reliance on deepfake information.
Generative AI and the Hallucination Threat
As we become more dependent on generative AI and chatbots, the risk of AI-generated misinformation, also known as “hallucinations,” grows higher. Decisions based on these hallucinations can pose severe cybersecurity threats.
Fortunately, new technologies like Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) can help improve accuracy and minimize hallucinations.
The Symbiotic Relationship: AI and Cybersecurity
The relationship between AI and cybersecurity is symbiotic; we can use AI to improve cybersecurity, and use cybersecurity to secure AI. By intelligently anticipating potential threats and summarizing cases, we can enhance our cybersecurity strategies with AI.
Persistent Cybersecurity Threats
The future does bring new threats, but many current ones persist, such as:
- Data Breaches: The average cost of a data breach is increasing worldwide.
- Ransomware: While overall numbers are slightly down, the speed and efficacy of ransomware attacks are increasing.
- Multifactor Authentication: Increased usage of this method is observed and expected.
- IoT attacks: A substantial increase in Internet of Things attacks is reported.
- The AI Threat: As already discussed, the role and threat of AI in cybersecurity are only going to get bigger.
- Quantum Computing: The advent of quantum systems cracking our cryptography is yet to be seen, but we are a step closer.
The Skills Gap in Cybersecurity
Positive progress has been made in bridging the skills gap in cybersecurity. According to Cyber Seek, the open positions in cybersecurity have reduced from 770,000 to 570,000. Though we still have a skills gap, this improvement is indeed a good sign.
To effectively combat the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, we need a robust combination of AI advancements, increased cybersecurity skills, and heightened awareness.
Stay informed and vigilant, because as they say, the best defence is a good offence.
