This article was updated on June 5, 2024.
Reviewed by听, MIS, MSP,听Dean, College of Business and IT
Cybersecurity trends can feel like a massive hurdle. Whether it鈥檚 an emerging threat or an industry disruptor, responding to them is vital to keeping your company鈥檚 (and your customers鈥) data safe and secure.
What trends are we seeing so far in 2024?
Notably, bad actors have seized on advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and the continued growth of remote work to aggressively target organizations. Companies need to be aware of what to do to protect themselves, as do aspiring or current cybersecurity professionals. Keeping up to date on scam tactics can help you better inform clients and employees.
That鈥檚 just a glimpse at what鈥檚 going on in the cybersecurity world. Let鈥檚 explore 12 of the biggest trends impacting cybersecurity at mid-2024 and beyond.
Companies and machine learning to enhance threat detection, response times and their overall cybersecurity posture. But the more systems and sensitive data a company has, the more targets are available to hackers. That鈥檚 why advances in automation can make cybersecurity practices more efficient.
For example, organizations can use machine learning and data correlation to collect substantial amounts of threat data. They can use this data to develop countermeasures, which can help identify suspicious activity before it has a chance to damage or compromise systems. Some organizations have their team do this internally while others outsource this task.
How AI can affect organizational assets, security best practices for AI systems and how to leverage machine learning to detect threats are among the many skills needed in cybersecurity.听
Even though the tech sector at large is seeing massive shifts in labor volatility, one segment isn鈥檛: cybersecurity. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects job growth for information security analysts to increase between . That鈥檚 an additional 16,800 jobs openings per year.
Experts have witnessed a massive gap in cybersecurity talent for years, and companies have scrambled to catch up. Cybersecurity-related job duties have often fallen to other IT professionals.
If you鈥檙e interested in a career focused on cybersecurity and information, salary information may be of interest to you. As of May 2023, it鈥檚 reported that information security analysts earned between , with a median wage of $120,360, according to BLS.
BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS鈥 projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to 爱污传媒 students or graduates.
Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of 爱污传媒. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. 爱污传媒 does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.
include smartwatches, smart speakers, home assistants, TVs with built-in streaming, and more. They can make life more convenient, but they also bring entry points and opportunities for cyber threats and breaches. The devices鈥 interconnected nature introduces substantial security vulnerabilities.
We spoke with J.L. Graff, MBA, associate dean of UOPX鈥檚 College of Business and Information Technology, about remaining vigilant.
鈥淧reviously, you may have needed to take precautions regarding your email security to protect against phishing attacks on a home computer. Today, you must remain even more vigilant and take precautions against threats that can compromise your email, online banking, and other connected devices and accounts.鈥
Statistics shed light on the escalating risk associated with IoT devices. A recent report highlights a disturbing trend. Compared with the previous year, 2023 saw a in just the first half of the year. This uptick underscores how attractive the devices are to criminals.
Securing IoT endpoints is a major concern for individuals and organizations. Because the vast array of connected devices lacks standardized security measures, it鈥檚 prone to exploitation. Strong encryption, regular software updates and stringent access controls are key to ensuring the safety of these devices.
Legislative efforts to protect data privacy have ramped up in recent years. One pivotal bill recently under consideration, the proposed , would usher in a new era of data protection and individual privacy.
ADPPA aims to set a comprehensive national standard for data privacy that supersedes the current patchwork of state-level laws. However, as of 2024, the ADPPA has yet to see substantial movement out of the U.S. House of Representatives. In its place, the House has begun hearings on a new version, the The APRA is a relatively recent development, but many of its mechanisms borrow from the ADPPA. , however, are in the treatment of small businesses, the interactions with state laws and its approach toward minors.
While national efforts have seen little momentum, states continue to pass their own privacy laws to safeguard data privacy. , and are among the states that have enacted data statutes. The laws require businesses to adhere to certain guidelines regarding data transparency and the rights of consumers to access and control their personal data. They also provide guidance on the implementation of robust cybersecurity strategies to protect against data breaches.
Why are these laws so impactful to cybersecurity teams and their clients? Their evolving nature necessitates a proactive approach to compliance. Companies must stay aware of federal and state laws to ensure practices meet all legal obligations. Through regular data audits and updates to privacy policies, organizations should constantly seek efforts to enhance their cybersecurity frameworks.
The near future is shaping up to be a pivotal period for hacktivism, largely thanks to a series of key (and controversial) global events. The United States鈥 presidential election, the Summer Olympics and ongoing geopolitical crises are potentially setting the stage for significant increases in digital activism tactics like hacktivism.
is the act of hacking into websites or computer systems for political or social motivations. It鈥檚 an increasingly prominent tool for digital protest, and it鈥檚 extremely disruptive.
The high-profile events in 2024 offer plenty of opportunities for hacktivists to draw attention to their causes. Activists use cyberattacks to influence public opinion and disrupt normalcy. The range from promoting specific political agendas to advocating for human rights. Hacktivism is civil disobedience and a potential threat to online security.
Common forms of hacktivism include using denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks to flood a website or app with requests, clogging its servers and rendering it useless to regular visitors. Another common tactic is doxxing, or releasing private or identifying information about a person of interest, whether it鈥檚 a whistleblower or an official or executive. Another method includes leaking sensitive information.
In some cases, hacktivism takes the form of state-sponsored cyberattacks. These attacks are becoming increasingly common, especially as adversaries of the United States seek to
is a type of malicious software, or malware, that blocks access to computer systems until the victim pays a specific sum of money. Ransomware attacks and their escalation pose significant risks to organizations that endanger critical data and operations.
Ransomware today relies on advanced file encryption techniques that make it more difficult to counter. Without the decryption key, the data is harder to recover.
How bad is ransomware? According to , the number of ransomware attacks in 2023 increased by 84% from the previous year. And while North American companies remain the most targeted victims, the industries affected vary. Industries (such as healthcare), consumer goods and technology sectors were the biggest victims.
Companies that want to reduce their vulnerability to ransomware should invest heavily in antivirus and antimalware software, but they should also closely monitor emails and networks in real time. Other useful tools include virtual private networks (VPNs) and multifactor authentication (MFA). VPNs mask locations and keep hackers from infiltrating networks, while MFA is a layered login process that requires more than just a password.
Any company that suspects a ransomware attack .
While malware continues to be a concern for cybersecurity experts, recent increases in zero-day vulnerabilities make this threat a significant one. are weaknesses or openings in systems or devices that companies have disclosed but have yet to patch. Attacks that target these vulnerabilities are zero-day exploits.
Hackers might structure their extortion schemes around ransomware attacks, data theft or DDoS threats, leaving financial and reputational damage in their wake.
鈥淎 well-known instance of a zero-day exploit was the WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017,鈥 Graff says. 鈥淭he attack exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows operating systems that affected 200,000+ computers across 150+ countries. The attack targeted systems that had not applied the latest security patches, making them vulnerable for such an attack. To regain access to their systems and files, many victims resorted to paying a ransom.鈥
In 2023, , up from 62 identified in 2022.听
Over time, scammers have gotten smarter and adopted more sophisticated tools and methods. That includes using generative AI tools like ChatGPT. Cyberattackers leverage AI tools , including the following:
Despite the many advances in computer protection, passwords remain the key security feature for almost all computers, electronic devices, websites and software. Phishing scams and keystroke-tracking malware seek to steal passwords.
While password managers are an effective way to help mitigate compromised login information, password-less authentication will likely see explosive growth in 2024 and beyond. Companies at the forefront of this practice are relying on
础听听refers to a decentralized ledger containing data for all transactions performed across a given network. This network connects the data in a decentralized chain. Multiple parties verify every change to the collection, so it is impossible for a single entity, such as a hacker, to change the data.
People are most familiar with public blockchains, such as those associated with cryptocurrency like bitcoin. However, you can also deploy private and permissioned blockchains. They still use the same multiple-verification chain, but only parties with special permission to access the closed system can participate.
What makes blockchain technology so useful for cybersecurity? Because it prevents data tampering, it can help organizations secure sensitive information against cyberthreats.
Remote work is here to stay, which means cybersecurity professionals must stay aware of threats that specifically target organizations through remote workers.
For example, remote access enables off-site workers and staff to access an organization's central systems without being in the office. While remote access increases flexibility and enhances work-life balance, it also increases cybersecurity risks and makes听protecting company data听more complex.
Some common problems related to remote access are:
Companies can limit these issues by setting up firewalls and running intrusion detection software, which alerts security personnel to unusual activity. Companies also need to educate employees on cybersecurity best practices.听 听 听 听
Another way to mitigate the potential for cybersecurity issues with remote workers? VPNs. As mentioned, VPNs can mask locations and keep hackers from infiltrating a company鈥檚 networks.听听in several ways:
With VPNs in place, companies can lower the risk of cyberattacks, and individuals can mitigate issues related to unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
Finally, there鈥檚 the opportunity to use cloud migration as a tool for cybersecurity. 听involves moving tools, such as applications, databases and software, to cloud systems, which employees then access remotely. Companies do not need to maintain their own servers. Many organizations migrate to the cloud听to minimize costs and maximize accessibility. Cloud-based systems also offer security enhancements, such as round-the-clock threat management.
Moreover, finance and healthcare companies can help ensure regulatory compliance and protect sensitive customer and patient data by requiring a connection to a central cloud-based system.
Cloud migration can lead to security challenges, however. Poorly configured networks, compromised or unsecured connections, and unauthorized access make a cloud system vulnerable to hacking.
With increasing challenges to cybersecurity come increasing opportunities to rethink, innovate and protect. One way to stay ahead of the curve? Ongoing education.听
Companies that are vigilant about cybersecurity often emphasize educating their teams about best practices and security awareness. This mitigates human error-related security incidents for both in-house and remote workers. Some of the for organizations in 2024 include:
Cybersecurity trends may shift, but the demand for professionals who know how to manage and adapt to new technology will be a constant for the foreseeable future. An online degree in technology can help prepare you for a career in this field.
爱污传媒 offers a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity to help aspiring professionals. Students can choose from two specializations: Cybersecurity Operations and Cybersecurity Analyst Defender.
UOPX also offers a Master of Science in Cybersecurity for individuals who wish to expand and deepen their understanding of cybersecurity.
If the time isn鈥檛 right for a degree program, earning an information technology certificate may be a good option. Focused and geared toward skills-relevant education, certificates can often be completed in under a year. Explore options like the Advanced Cybersecurity Certificate and the Cyber and Network Defense Certificate.
Request information about training that can prepare you to begin your cybersecurity career. You can also enroll in your first course today.
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 爱污传媒 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
Currently Dean of the College of Business and Information Technology,听Kathryn Uhles has served 爱污传媒 in a variety of roles since 2006. Prior to joining 爱污传媒, Kathryn taught fifth grade to underprivileged youth in 爱污传媒.
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