How will cybersecurity change in the future?

‘Defending at Machine Speed: Technology’s New Frontier’ which Microsoft delivered at RSA got us thinking about the future of cybersecurity and what that might look like.

Predicting the future is notoriously, frustratingly impossible. What we can do is make educated predictions of the cybersecurity world while discussing the threats that might materialise. Cybersecurity is critical for companies (and individuals) as we face an ever-increasing number of cyberattacks. These attacks are getting more and more sophisticated, artificial intelligence can help, but could it hinder too?

The robots are coming: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

There is optimism and uneasiness about the rapid speed of advancement and commercial adoption of AI and ML technologies – because they can be used by cybersecurity professionals and cyberattacks equally.

AI is used to identify and prevent threats and attacks. In its simplest form, AI helps identify anomalies in systems and alert human security teams to take next steps. AI also automates standard security measures, freeing up human cyber experts for more demanding tasks.

AI can also be used by cybercriminals to create more effective attacks. Cybercriminals could use AI to craft more convincing phishing emails or bespoke malware that is more difficult to detect. As is often the case with cutting-edge technology, an agreed-upon legal and regulatory framework doesn’t exist yet because the pace of innovation is dramatically faster than the legal system.

AI will be key for the future of both cybersecurity and cyberattacks. It’s frequently being described as crucial in the ongoing cybersecurity arms race.??

Metaverse – exploring known unknowns

The impact of the metaverse on cybersecurity is still unclear, as it’s still in its early stages. The metaverse is essentially a virtual world, created by combining elements of virtual and augmented reality, gaming, and social media. If the metaverse materialises like some have predicted it has huge potential to revolutionise the way businesses operate – and pose significant cybersecurity risks.

One potential risk is that cybercriminals could use the metaverse as a platform to launch attacks or spread malware. ?The impact the metaverse has on cybersecurity will depend on how it is developed and used.

The quantum question

Quantum computing poses many conundrums. It poses a threat to existing encryption methods, and new quantum-resistant cryptography is in its infancy and not widely available.

The NSA is preparing for this future, developing and exploring many different avenues of research, simply because of the unknowns that still exist.

In the future, new cryptography methods need to become mainstream (as will quantum computing). This could involve the use of new encryption algorithms or other innovative approaches to secure data, not thought of yet.

The promised land – passwordless future

Our tried and tested passwords are often the weakest link in cybersecurity. They can be easily compromised, particularly if users don’t follow best practices for password management.

In the future, we’ll shift towards biometric authentication and multi-factor authentication, which require users to provide multiple forms of identification to access their accounts. The market for passwordless authentication is expected to expand from $6.6 billion in 2022 to $21.2 billion by 2027, indicating a high degree of certainty this will happen.

How does the future look?

Cybersecurity will only grow in importance to organisations as the years unfold. It’s almost a cyber risk vs reward analysis. AI, the metaverse and quantum computing have almost a bottomless well of potential to help businesses and organisations thrive.

But as these exciting technologies emerge, there’s an equally motivated criminal element looking to exploit them for their own ends. Staying ahead of cyberattacks is a matter of who can bend the technology to their will best.??