Armour the future
We are living in a gigantic and complex maze of cyber neurons firing bits and bytes and, challenging dimensions of lives, businesses, economies, nations and the world in a matter of microseconds. This data flow has given rise to enormous and novel opportunities in the information domain but has also multiplied the associated risks by blurring boundaries.
Knowledge will shield you
As an individual, your dependence on AI-led innovations and devices exposes you and your life to elements that are looking to take advantage. As the internet speed advances, the consumption of videos and images for leisure and intellectual creation such as processing of personal, social and financial transactions will expand exponentially. Your life and its tiniest details are shaped by digitization and, have increased your digital footprint and hence the exposure. Do you know how to defend your digital identity and your sensitive information? Can you guard yourself against targeted, phishing attacks? How can you guard yourself and your inner circle from the threat of cyber intrusion?
Anticipation is the key
Social media is a powerful platform to share opinions on and bring about a transformation in society. It takes a moment to garner support and instigate a movement. The platforms that liberate society can be misused. Incidences of a privacy breach and geopolitical repercussions of misuse of the platforms is a stark reality. Policymaking and curbs would certainly help. Considering the complexity and scale of challenges on social media, practicing caution in anticipation of various possibilities is key. It demands unprecedented thinking and actions by the stakeholders involved.
Balance is everything
Economies are experimenting and evolving like never before. Innovations are stretching boundaries and engaging new players, thereby redefining the perimeter of the ecosystem. As Fintechs open APIs and engage third-parties between the bank and customer, economies are becoming vulnerable even as efficiency in operation is growing monumentally. The presence of virtual money like Bitcoins and cryptocurrency sans any regulations has the financial policymakers and veterans running for cover. Security and privacy concerns demand regulatory intervention but this may inadvertently discourage new players and innovations. Economies, therefore, need a fulcrum that will balance optimum innovation with crucial regulations, simultaneously. Are we insulated enough or treading the fine line?
Vigilance is the answer
With the advent of digitization, businesses have achieved optimum efficiency of its processes, consistency, and quality. Automation has helped establish smart workflows and eliminated redundant tasks and allowed the business to focus on critical matters. However, with this drastic evolution, companies are now literally wearing their data on their sleeves. In the age of the cloud, IoT, and workforce mobility, businesses must first assess their systems, develop policies, and implement security solutions that work together. Businesses must constantly review their automated operations and the loopholes that evolve as technology advances in order to deter growing security threats. Is your IP protected?
Preparation is your fail-safe
Interoperable smart cities and smart devices, automated supply chains and remote interaction between components have enhanced productivity, efficiency, profitability, and innovation. On the flip side, this advancement also threatens the smooth functioning of nations and their essential systems today. Sectors such as oil and gas are becoming increasingly automated for ease. The failure or malfunction of one small element in the big picture can have a reverberating effect across a country or nation by sending all interconnected and interdependent systems crashing, not unlike dominos falling. Recovery and normalization, therefore, have become imperative but have a steep price tag attached to it. Have you identified your weak links and created fail-safes yet?
Acquire an eagle’s eye view
World War 3 is this globe’s worst nightmare. But as geographical boundaries resist and cyber boundaries desist, the world at large needs to be vigilant. Militarisation and weaponization on cyberspace present a looming threat to global infrastructure. The communication between billions of devices across the globe expands the risk to the nth number of areas, to an immeasurable extent. One press of a key can send the word on a downhill spiral towards annihilation.
The digitalization of every small and big detail of our lives is inevitable and will be a full-fledged reality in a very short span of time. The efficiency and ease we have achieved as a collective race is something we all should be proud of and should rejoice in. There is an undeniable responsibility we have towards ourselves and towards the world to counter the risks that come with this advancement. We must confront these risks and diffuse them strategically. This is the future -- a trade-off between efficiency and risks.
It’s time! Armour the future. #AISS 2019