As the world is getting more connected, it is getting easier for hackers to breach into the systems. Ransomware, fleeceware, IoT device attacks and the more recent- Social Engineering are constantly in search of the weakest link in any security protocol of an organization to enter the system.
Large-scale data breaches and major security incidents are becoming more conniving and strategic by the day leading to huge losses incurred by various organizations. From the destruction of data to embezzlement of money, lost productivity, theft of intellectual property, or theft of personal and financial data, the avenues for cybercrimes are infinite.
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, cybercrime is expected to cost the world US $8 trillion USD by the end of this year and can reach up to US $10.5 trillion by 2025 if the right measures against cybersecurity are not adopted.
The numbers alone are alarming enough for organizations to identify and address their cybersecurity blind spots in this volatile threat landscape and prioritize cybersecurity measures in the organization.
As we enter 2024, here are the top cybersecurity trends to keep an eye on:
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Also known as software-defined perimeter (SDP), ZTNA provides secure remote access to an organization’s applications, data and its services. It has clearly defined access control policies that enable secure access to internal applications for remote users. This technology is even more imperative in today’s remote working environment where an increasing number of users are accessing resources from different locations. This model works on an adaptive trust model, where access granted is defined by granular policies. It also prevents users from having visibility or access into applications and services they are not permissioned. Thereby, this module enhances protection against lateral attacks, as an attacker who might have breached the system would not be able to scan applications without relevant permission.
ZTNA works on four basic modules:
a) It completely isolates application access from network access reducing the risk to the network.
b) It makes both network and application infrastructure invisible to unauthorized users.
c) Its native app segmentation ensures that application access is granted on a one-to-one basis.
d) It takes a user-to-application approach rather than a traditional network security approach.
Data privacy through DPDP Act: The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 is the first data protection act introduced by the Government of India to establish a framework for the processing of personal data in India. Personal data is information that relates to an individual and is used by businesses and government entities for the delivery of goods and services. The DPDP Act applies to the processing of digital personal data within the territory of India collected online or offline and is digitized. The same will be applicable outside Indian territory if it involves providing goods or services to the data principals within the territory of India.
The Bill aims to build strong privacy governance programs that would not only build the reputation of businesses but will also be an integral part of an organization’s transparency policy. The Bill also grants individuals the right to obtain information, seek correction and erasure and grievance redressal.
Web application and API protection: Web applications are programs that users can access via a web browser. It includes application programming interfaces (APIs) to provide programmatic access to the application’s capabilities. This is a critical component of many organizations’ web presence and can provide access to the organization’s sensitive data, making them an easy target for hackers. With the upgradation of web apps and the addition of new functionality, features and services, the vulnerability to attacks also increases. Traditional web application firewalls (WAFs) work manually and cannot keep up with continuous changes. Web application and API protection (WAAP) has been created to safeguard vulnerable APIs and web applications. It provides a varying depth of security for every module giving web apps continuous cover against attacks.
WAAP provide a wide range of protection from various malware including Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Cross-site Request Forgery (XSRF), SQL Injection, OS Command Injection, Bad Bots, Denial-of-Service Attack (DoS), and much more.
Cyber Security Audits And Assessments: Today, the risk of cyberattacks has escalated like never before. A robust cybersecurity system is the only way to safeguard an organization against these threats. However, it is of vital importance to conduct periodic cybersecurity audits and assessments to ensure that the blanket of security remains impenetrable. A cybersecurity audit involves a comprehensive analysis and review of the IT infrastructure to detect vulnerabilities, weak links and high-risk practices. The right cyber security audits and assessments will help in risk assessment and vulnerability identification, strengthen security measures, ensure compliance with regulations and standards and provide continuous threat detection and prevention. A holistic cybersecurity audit should cover the areas of data security, operational security, network security, system security and risk management, among others.
The Secure Road Ahead
When it comes to cyber-attacks, the size of an organization does not matter. Any organization that fails to address its cybersecurity blind spots is volatile in this cyber threat landscape. Getting the right cover and plugging every loophole is the most effective way of addressing security gaps and creating strong defense measures against any kind of cyber-attack.
