Considering how vital the internet is to business, it isn’t surprising that some of the emerging trends in technology in 2020 have to do with cybersecurity. Cyberthreats are ever-evolving and Inland Empire companies have to keep up, if they want to prevent cyberattacks from weighing down their operations, customers, and revenue.
Here are some emerging cybersecurity trends businesses need to watch out for:
#1. Increasing dominance of BAS technology
Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is a method used by companies looking to improve their cybersecurity. In it, auditors exploit external and internal vulnerabilities to penetrate a system or app and access a target file or information. This way, pen testing helps determine how effective your defensive measures are against an external cyberattack.
But the last few years saw the demand for breach and attack simulation (BAS) technologies increase as companies sought a comprehensive strategy to assess their vulnerability to cybercrime. While pen testing focuses on a particular system or app, BAS examines your overall security posture.
It is an automated process that simulates different types of no-holds-barred attacks against your network. After the test, you will get a clear picture of how secure your business is from different kinds of cyberattacks.
#2. MFA instead of 2FA
Both multifactor authentication (MFA) and two-factor authentication (2FA) frustrate hackers looking to enter a protected account. Instead of the usual username-password combination, 2FA requires users to provide an additional authentication factor to log in. This could be a one-time password (OTP), personal identification number (PIN), or fingerprint scan, among others. If you’ve ever logged in to your Gmail account and had to provide a mobile verification code, then you’ve used 2FA.
MFA is similar to 2FA, but it may require users to present two or more authentication factors besides their password. Experts believe that with phishing now able to bypass 2FA, MFA might become more in demand in 2020. After all, while using two factors is secure, using three or more must be better.
#3. Better phishing with deepfakes
Deepfakes allow users to create videos or audio files that look and sound just like the real thing. Imagine Photoshop, but you edit videos and sounds instead of images. Many people use deepfake technology for harmless endeavors like creating memes, but its implications on cybersecurity are alarming.
With deepfakes, hackers can launch very convincing and effective phishing attacks. Just imagine a hacker creating a fake video of you or a client instructing your staff to send money to a specific bank account. Deepfakes look very realistic, so many of your employees won’t think twice about giving your money to hackers.
As deepfakes become more prevalent in 2020, you’ll need to train your staff to identify fake videos or audio recordings from real ones. You’ll also have to develop protocols on how to confirm the validity of requests, especially if they involve money or sensitive business files.
#4. Greater involvement of ML
Machine learning (ML) is a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) that enables systems to make decisions or come up with outcomes based on previous patterns and data. As an example, online ads use ML to become more attractive to potential customers. This is why the ads you see on the internet seem customized according to the websites or social networks you visit.
In 2020, ML will play an even bigger role in cybersecurity than ever before. One possible application of ML has to do with identifying malware and hacking attempts and stopping them prematurely. ML is also expected to help minimize risky human behaviors that contribute to the occurrence of data breaches.
Cybercrime continues to evolve, but cybersecurity advances just as fast. As a business owner, you need to move quickly. Partnering with experts will help ensure that you have access to the latest and best solutions designed to keep your money and data safe from malicious parties and software.
