10 Top Cybersecurity Trends to Watch Out for in 2021

If you are a frequent user of the internet there is a huge chance you have ran into a suspicious-looking email that came with a warning label, or you may have tried accessing a website only to be met by a red screen accompanied by a warning, and you probably ignored all that anyway, that was ill-advised

There are some damning stats to give you a clear picture of the situation. 

  • According to reliable data, the world will lose $6 trillion to cybercrime by 2021.
  • On average, a business will fall prey to ransomware every 11 seconds. 

It is clear as day that no one is really safe, as long as you are connected to the internet you are a target. The only way to protect yourself would be to turn to cybersecurity.

2020 has already seen its fair share of cyber threats, the following are the top cybersecurity trends.

Automotive Hacking

You cannot talk about top 2020 cybersecurity trends without talking about autonomous cars, there is an increased threat of cars getting hacked thanks to automated software that forms the backbone of these vehicles. 

Through BLUETOOTH and Wi-Fi connectivity, hackers have been able to gain control of these cars and sometimes eavesdrop or harvest data through microphones and other backdoors. 

As car technologies move forward, there is a need for robust cybersecurity solutions for anything tangible to be achieved in the future. 

Cars can be hacked in a number of ways. Brakes could be disabled; vehicle diagnostics could get manipulated; the GPS could get interfered with, smartphone access, forced acceleration. 

All these points to scary scenarios. Drivers will have to undergo new training that will help them counter these attacks if they have any hope of standing a chance on the road.

Growth of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence plays a huge role in shaping cybersecurity trends in 2020. By combining it with machine learning, the potential changes this promises to bring to cybersecurity has caused ripples in the industry. 

Artificial Intelligence is playing a role in the formulation of better and stronger automated security systems that involve face detection, language processing, and threat detection; all this with minimal human involvement. 

On the flip side, however, hackers are also putting AI into use by manipulating it to bypass most of the latest security protocols. 

AI can be used to conceal malicious codes in applications that may bypass all security checks in computers; some of these codes are even set up to activate on certain dates in the future. 

It will be hard for any ordinary machine to detect such advanced malware.

Mobile Security

As of August 2020, there were about 3.5 billion active smartphones in the world. To a hacker, this is like a goldmine when you consider the fact that a majority of transactions that involve money and other sensitive data is done through mobile phones. 

Mobile security has been on the radar of top cybersecurity trends for a while, but as the years go by, the urgency continues to grow with the potential of having personal data like private images, emails, and messages getting exposed to the world. 

Mobile security is an untapped market waiting to be harnessed and the sooner a solution is found the better for everyone involved.

Cloud Security

As much cloud storage has made things easier, the vulnerabilities that made people avoid it in the beginning still exist. Much has been done to plug the many loopholes that hackers were taking advantage of, but there is still much more that needs to be done.

GOOGLE and MICROSOFT have been ahead of the rest, but the weaknesses still abound, especially on the users’ end, as they are still unable to tell apart phishing attacks from genuine emails.

There are foolproof ways you can use to bolster your cloud security. 

  • Minimize storing very sensitive information on the cloud as much as you can.
  • Increase the detection capabilities of your accounts and machines.
  • Add encryption tools just in case the other countermeasures fail.

5G Network

Much has been said about 5G, and a lot of that has been lost in translation. There are many people still in the dark on what 5G really entails. 

The expected rollout of 5G was slated for this year, and so far, there are areas around the world that are already experiencing the full benefits of what is considered the next stage of connectivity. 

However, 5G has brought forth its own set of vulnerabilities and that is why it features since it is still fairly new and undergoing changes along the way. The attacks are expected to continue into the foreseeable future until things get under control. 

State-Sponsored Cyber Warfare

Nations staging cyber attacks on each other is a top 2020 cybersecurity trend, one that used to be confined to science fiction in the past. We are living in a world where disabling the core systems upon which everything runs is the new cold war

The world was treated to heightened tensions between the US and China, with each accusing the other of sabotage through state-sponsored cyber attacks. 

Although none could own up to staging such attacks, it is a known reality that cyber warfare is the new frontline, and every nation on the planet is trying to find ways to gain the upper hand.

IOT Devices Risks

A majority of internet users are not aware of the many risks that they are exposed to with every click when they are online. 

The Internet of Things space is booming, and this has given rise to new problems that include insecure wireless communications, unencrypted data, firmware updates from suspect sources, and web interfaces that are compromised. 

IOT devices that are high risk include servers and routers; without a proper security protocol, it is easy for hackers to gain access into an organization through one careless employee.

Phishing

Phishing has been an effective way for hackers to steal credentials and identities for years and it continues to be a major threat, and finding solutions for phishing is one ofd the standout cybersecurity trends in 2020

Phishing has transformed into cryptojacking, which is a new form of phishing that targets people who are involved in cryptocurrency mining. 

To be able to keep such attacks at bay, there is a need for a revamp of cybersecurity protocol since the racket running the international cybercrime keeps finding new ways to circumvent every security wall that is thrown at them.

Automation and Integration of Cybersecurity

The pressure on developers and engineers to find solutions that use less to do more is growing in tandem with an increase in cyber threats. To pull this off, automation and integration are vital for any cybersecurity solution to work. 

Making security agile and flexible enough to adapt to new threats on the go is what makes cybersecurity solutions worth a shot. 

As hackers become faster and better, there is a need for developers and engineers at the heart of cybersecurity to get rid of everything that is unnecessary and focus on the parts that work as they are always in a race against time.

Skills Gap

There is a shortage of cybersecurity experts in the industry, a very damning development considering how dangerous hackers are becoming. 

The demand for cybersecurity professionals has exceeded the supply for years, and as the threats continue to take new forms, the gap continues to widen. 

The realization that having a working IT department is vital for the survival of any company has driven business into a frenzy of trying to nab the best cybersecurity experts they can find. 

All this only underlines the need for more of these security experts since they are the last line of defense in a world that is slowly morphing into a space that is at the mercy of hackers.

Conclusion

It is evident that cybercrime is not a mythical creature that attacks big organizations only, you too are at equal risk like anybody else who uses the internet or has stored important information in the cloud. Will hackers ever relent? No. So what exactly is the next step for you? 

The first thing you need to do is acknowledge the risk and treat cybercrime with the seriousness it deserves. 

You should also cut down on sharing personal information on social media platforms because that is one way through which hackers gain the information they need to get to you. 

Most importantly, get yourself a robust cybersecurity solution, it will cost you but the alternative is worse. The top cybersecurity trends in 2020 are a good place to start your search.

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