Where We Are and Where We’re Headed: Advancements in the Cybersecurity Space Explored

Cybersecurity is one of the biggest emerging issues of modern times. Cybercriminals are getting more advanced in their methods to gain access to and steal sensitive information, and without robust mechanisms in place to combat their attempts, infrastructure all over the world is at risk of collapse. 

From banking to shopping, nearly all daily tasks and processes that were performed in person are now dealt with via the internet. This makes life a lot easier for the most part, but it does come with several risks that everyone should be aware of. 

In this article, you’ll learn about how cybersecurity is evolving to combat threats that are becoming increasingly complex (as well as what the future may hold).

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The Cybercrime Problem at a Glance

Thankfully, most individual people haven’t been victims of a cyber attack, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t thousands of victims a year. Cybercrime costs the world billions of dollars annually, and those figures aren’t expected to go down anytime soon. 

As technology improves and services move completely online, integrate with the Internet of Things (IoT), and embrace the power of AI, a catch-22 situation has ensued whereby new technology is both enabling hackers to get more creative and also pushing the cybersecurity industry forward in new and exciting ways.

Cybercrime is also becoming more of a talking point amongst the general population. While a lot of the biggest breaches went on behind closed doors and never reached the public, high-profile cases like the Ashley Madison scandal brought the issue to light. This puts added pressure on businesses, because a cyber attack not only means the potential for significant financial loss, but also a loss of trust amongst their customers. 

Modern Solutions for Modern Problems

Cybersecurity infrastructure is vastly improved beyond what it was even fifteen years ago, mostly thanks to the rise of automation and machine learning. 

Rather than relying on one or two pieces of software to get the job done, such as standalone firewalls and anti-virus tools, today’s systems have a much more proactive role in not only blocking hacks but actively seeking them out. 

For example, Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) consistently attempts to identify threats and manage vulnerabilities in real time. Then, there’s the automation of repetitive tasks, such as patch management, which both reduces the burden on staff members to perform these tasks manually and negates the human error associated with them. 

The above are just a couple of examples, and through the implementation of AI, these sorts of systems can intelligently adapt to a given network to provide a highly-tailored service. 

Today’s approach to cybersecurity is much more layered and multi-faceted than it was in the past. Tools like multifactor authentication (MFA), which the vast majority of online platforms have adopted now, are a great example. Rather than relying on passwords, MFA ensures a second attempt at verification is routinely made, usually by sending a code to the individual’s phone, so that their identity can be fully confirmed. 

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What the Future Holds

Cybersecurity measures will continue to improve, and at a faster rate than ever before, but there will be significant hurdles along the way. For example, quantum computing is one area cybersecurity experts are watching very closely. 

Quantum computing is a new type of computer architecture based on a different type of math than current systems. It’s still a long way off becoming commercially available, but given how much it differs, modern cybersecurity methods will need to be completely rewritten. 

In the more immediate future, it’s really about the continued advancement of AI and machine learning. As touched on above, these technologies allow for threat detection and management at vastly superior speeds, and tech giants have only really just scratched the surface of what they’re capable of. 

It’s possible that within the next fifteen years, cybersecurity will be handled entirely by AI, whereby an overarching intelligent system can manage the whole network. This way, key insights can be shared seamlessly between tools, which will significantly increase the odds of thwarting a potential attack.

Wrapping Up

One thing is for sure: the field of cybersecurity will continue to be one of the most interesting technological fields for experts and enthusiasts alike to explore. 
This article is only a brief overview of what is a very deep and complex topic, so be sure to do some of your own research if you’re interested in delving further. Here’s a great video on how cyber attacks work to get you started!