Although 2024 is into its third month, it's not too late to review an IBM survey of cybersecurity predictions. As posted on the SecurityIntelligence website (https://securityintelligence.com/articles/cybersecurity-trends-ibm-predictions-2024/):
- 2024 will be "the year of deception" through artificial intelligence.
- Generative AI will make "customer acquisition" easier for cyber criminals.
- There will be an influx of "doppelganger users" gaining access to accounts through credentials available on the Dark Web.
- An AI version of the "Morris worm" used in the first reported cyberattack in 1988 will probably be released in the near future.
- With fewer businesses paying ransoms and choosing rebuilding systems over decryption, ransomware will focus more on small business.
- The adoption of generative AI will force CISOs to focus on protecting critical data.
- Generative AI will be used for administrative tasks, allowing security analysts to take on more challenges.
- Cybersecurity will move from threat protection to prediction.
- Instead of consolidating multiple entities into one platform, organizations will integrate existing entities to make them less complex.
- Attackers will increase "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks hoping to use quantum computers in the near future. NIST is developing quantum-safe cybersecurity standards, and organizations should start preparing to transition to them.
Since most of these predictions emphasize negative trends, organizations must realize they cannot be complacent about cybersecurity.