Top 6 Trends That Experts Believe Will Define Cybersecurity in 2019

A lot of achievements in the cybersecurity realm were made in 2018. There were many breakthroughs in the innovation world and the attention of various institutions to the cybersecurity realities was fixed on finding solutions.

Regardless of the many strides, we still have a long way to go when it comes to bringing total security on the cyber realm. 2019 is another year where experts will have to figure out how to deal with the ever-evolving attacks. A lot will be happening this year and the following are the key trends that are set to define the year according to experts.

1. There will be more emphasis on data protection

Data is ultimately the most important resource that needs to be protected. Organizations nowadays keep volumes of data in the various storage facilities and networks. The average person is leaving massive amounts of data in the hands of tech companies. The focus this year will, therefore, be on how this data is protected. Going by the events of last year, we can expect to see more regulation and stricter laws that govern how companies handle consumer data. The new rules will force organizations to rethink their data strategies to incorporate sustainability.

2. More trust in the cloud

Cloud computing is a technology of the future that cannot be ignored. It is expected that 83% of enterprise data will be in the cloud by 2020. Considering such a reality, it can only be expected that more companies will try to figure out how to gain more confidence in the cloud. The cloud is preferred by organizations because of its speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. While there are security concerns, it is widely viewed that tackling any cybersecurity issues in the cloud would be a better move than ignoring such an innovative technology for outdated alternatives. The cloud will thus continue to pull in more users in 2019.

3. A growing use of the Zero Trust approach

The Zero Trust approach advocates for total security of packets of data. Data stored using this approach is stored separately with each container having different encryption keys. This approach is preferred because of its uncompromising view on security data. For many years, VPN services have been preferred for improving security and privacy. As challenges become steeper though, many organizations are going for more drastic and tougher approaches. The Zero Trust approach has been gaining momentum in the past few years and it is likely to persist in 2019.

4. The growth of cyber-resilience as a means of combating insecurity

Many organizations that have been hit by attacks often have to undergo total shutdown before they resume their operations. This results in colossal losses and sometimes, total breakdown of the organization. This is why there has been a growing interest in pursuing a resilient model that does not result in the halting of organization functions when a cyber attack occurs. The cyber-resilence model combines data intelligence with an evolving security design to bring fewer downtimes in organizations. This model is very popular across industries and it will continue to gain momentum in 2019.

5. Increased use of bots and other slower means of attack

It is estimated that bot attacks now account for nearly half of total attacks. Bot attacks have specifically grown by 37% in recent times. The majority of DDoS attacks are carried out by bots in a slow but damaging process. In 2019, many experts believe that there will be increased use of slower attack methods as hackers try to steal as much information as possible discreetly. As a response to this, more and more companies will also adopt bot management solutions to counter such attacks.

6. Insecurity in the IoT realm

The internet of things (IoT) is yet to fully define the world but the insecurity levels will increase drastically in the realm. As more and more curious people start testing gadgets in this realm, the number of successful attacks will rise. The IoT realm is still very young and the networks that operate it, including 5G, are yet to be fully secured. The number of objects being attacked will thus rise and the security issues will become more apparent. The response to increased breaches will likely be the adoption of Zero Trust policies in the IoT realm.