As our reliance on technology grows, so does the sophistication and frequency of cyber-attacks. We can expect increasingly advanced forms of malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. Cybercriminals are likely to leverage AI and machine learning to enhance their attack strategies. We can expect to see well-structured incidents using multiple attack vectors simultaneously to produce higher rates of success. For most people, these will be far more difficult to spot than they are today.
While AI can be used by cybercriminals, it's also a powerful tool for cybersecurity. AI algorithms will detect and respond to threats with a speed that humans cannot. In addition to front line duties, AI will be playing a central coordinating role in cybersecurity defence strategies; pulling together many facets of cybersecurity and making security decisions based upon collated real-time data.
As more devices connect to the internet, the attack surface for cyber threats grows. Ensuring the security of IoT devices will be a major challenge, requiring new strategies and technologies. Currently, major providers of IoT devices release security updates to try to keep their devices safe. However, less mainstream providers simply will not have the capability to keep their devices as safe; these can easily become backdoors into otherwise fairly secure environments.
With increasing concerns about data security and privacy, we can expect more regulations like the GDPR to be rolled out across the world. Organisations and businesses will need to work upon becoming compliant with these and provide better structure and protection of people’s data. This in turn will drive the adoption of enhanced security measures and increased adoption of Information Security Management Systems such as ISO 27001.
The potential advent of quantum computing poses a significant challenge to current encryption methods. The risk being primarily to data in transit rather than data at rest. The current position is that quantum computing is being developed by researchers working for major organisations, but this will pass and the technology will become available to both cybersecurity developers and their nefarious counterparts. Preparing for quantum-resistant encryption will have to be a key area of focus in cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is rapidly evolving into an important part of national security. We can expect nation-states to increasingly engage in cyber espionage and attacks on critical infrastructure as an integral element of warfare tactics. This is already being seen in current conflicts such as the ongoing Russia / Ukraine war.
In conclusion, the future of cybersecurity will be marked by major challenges and us becoming increasingly reliant upon AI. As threats evolve, so too will the technologies and strategies to combat them. Staying ahead of threats will require constant vigilance, innovation, and training. Ultimately, most people will not be able to exist online without dynamic protection from various AI coordinated services. The threats will be so advanced that the majority of people will not be able to tell what is safe from what is not.
