Top 9 Cybersecurity Trends to Watch Out For in 2022

All business sectors—large or small, private or public—are going through a digital revolution and relying more and more on automated systems to carry out their daily tasks. Because of this, organizations’ top priority is cybersecurity in order to safeguard their data against any unauthorized intrusions or online hackers. In terms of cyber security, 2021 was among the worst because there were so many attacks, and the outlook for 2022 isn’t promising either. 

According to data gathered, the data breach affected about 281 million people, and cybercrime costs large MNCs about 1.70 million US dollars per minute, which has everyone concerned about the level of cybersecurity. 

It has become crucial for many organizations’ leaders to prioritize cybersecurity in order to secure their business because cyber criminals are not showing any signs of slowing down in their attempts to hack into the networks of all different types of businesses. That being said, let us explore the top 9 cybersecurity trends to look for in 2022. 

Cybersecurity trends 2022 

The exponential improvement and development of technology and the recent cyber threats and attacks have made cybersecurity a priority, and here are the top 9 cyber security trends 2022.

• Zero trust architecture 

The issue in a digital environment arises when the user believes that having access to credentials will allow them to move freely within the system and have confidence that nothing bad will happen. No matter how many security measures are in place, as soon as a user clicks on a malicious link or attachment without thinking, it gives cybercriminals the ability to compromise systems. This is why ransomware and phishing are so harmful. 

A zero-trust architecture limits network access to only those who require it and reduces individual accountability by centralizing control of all devices and systems. With the zero trust architecture, access is granted to only the authorized users with patterns based on identity, time, and device based on Contextual awareness, and default access are eliminated. Everything will now pass through security protocols such as user identity verification and access control steps. 

• Rise of ransomware 

A form of malware known as ransomware prevents users from accessing their computers or personal files and demands a ransom payment in exchange for accessing the system. There was a 150% rise in ransomware in 2021 and it will not slow down in 2022. Since ransomware has advanced and is now widely available on the market, it is neither rare nor difficult to obtain. As a result, more cybercriminals are subscribing to ransomware as a service providers, which give customers access to pre-built ransomware tools for launching attacks in exchange for a cut of all successful ransom payments. 

• Cybersecurity Risks with Working Remotely

Two years ago , the covid19 pandemic forced many organizations to shift their workforces to remote work and caused a rapid change in the way we used to do work. Many employees have preferred to work remotely as it allows them to save time and maintain their mental peace. 

Working from home does present new cybersecurity risks because remote offices are less secure than centralized offices, which have more firewalls, routers, and access control systems under the control of IT security teams. Traditional security measures to keep the system secure may not have been adequate due to the urgency of keeping things operational, which provided a vulnerability for cybercriminals to exploit our data. 

The fact that many employees use devices for both work and personal use increases the possibility that private information will end up in the wrong hands. Therefore, it has become a cyber security trend for organizations to focus on improving the security of distributed workers.This entails finding and addressing fresh security flaws, putting in place security measures, enhancing the systems, and making sure that appropriate monitoring and documentation are carried out.

• Awareness and user training 

97% of people worldwide lack the knowledge necessary to recognize spam emails or malware that could affect the system. The main cause of many data breaches is still human error, which highlights the shortcomings of conventional digital security awareness. Many organizations are strengthening their data security as a result of the increasingly aggressive cyber threats.

Organizations are putting in place more advanced firewalls and IT protocols, and companies also advise staff members to receive cyber security training. Employee awareness campaigns are run by the organization. Many organizations are also developing policies that are concerned with how staff members should handle and share confidential company information. Additionally, security-oriented cultures that teach staff members new ways of thinking are promoted. 

• The evolution of the internet of things (IoT)

IoT describes physical objects that connect to the internet and exchange data, as opposed to computers, phones, and servers. IoT devices include voice assistants, smart watches, and smart refrigerators. It is predicted that 64 billion IoT devices will be installed globally by 2026. The internet of things is constantly growing, which also increases the potential for cybercrime. In comparison to laptops and smartphones, the majority of IoT devices have less processing power and storage space. This may make it more difficult for firewalls, antivirus software, and other security programs to protect them. Thus it makes the IoT attacks the most discussed cyber attack trends. 

• Cyber hygiene

Cyber hygiene is the regular use of safeguards like a VPN or two-factor authentication when using technology, as well as staying away from unsecured wifi networks. 

Cyber hygiene promotes not following any of these habits and helps reduce the vulnerabilities by identifying the risks and deploying mechanisms and strategies to resolve them. By implementing cyber hygiene, organizations can strengthen their security and effectively defend themselves from unauthorized breaches in their network. 

• Implementing machine learning 

Machine learning is growing and has become more proactive in the field of cybersecurity. With the help of machine learning, cybersecurity has become more effective, simpler, and less expensive at the same time. Machine learning can easily foresee and respond to active attacks in real time because it creates patterns from data sets and manipulates them using algorithms. 

The technology relies heavily on rich and sophisticated data to produce effective algorithms. The data is collected from everywhere so that many potential scenarios are represented properly. By utilizing machine learning, cybersecurity systems are able to analyze all frequent threat patterns and understand the actions of cybercriminals. Machine learning aids in preventing similar attacks in the future and also cuts down on the time required for routine tasks to be completed by cybersecurity experts.  

• GDPR Compliance 

One of the most important changes to data privacy laws across European Union (EU) countries is the general data protection regulation, or GDPR. Regardless of where they are located, any business that sells products or services to EU citizens must abide by the new rules. 

GDPR also has a bigger impact on global data protection requirements. GDPR has imposed a consistent and uniform data security law on all the EU nations. GDPR provides more consistent protection of consumer and personal data of EU residents. Since GDPR imposes uniform and consistent data security laws, each state no longer needs to enact its own personal data laws. Even though it protects only EU citizens, the law affects all the businesses and organizations that target the European market.

• Cloud security 

There are more cloud management software solutions that are allowing more businesses and organizations to adapt and migrate to the cloud. However, the current cloud services lack secure encryption, audit logging, and authentication, and few also fail to separate user data from other tenants using the same cloud storage as them. Improved cloud security is required because insecure configurations could allow cybercriminals to evade internal security measures. sensitive information in the cloud database. Innovative and preemptive security is adopted to protect against cyber attackers.

Because it detects threats before attackers act, predictive security is helpful. It is able to recognize attacks that slip past other endpoint security systems.

Future trends in cyber security 

Nobody can accurately predict Cyber security future trends, and many businesses are still working out how to strengthen their networks in order to defend against potential cyberattacks. These cyber security trends for 2022 give us an idea of what to anticipate in the years to come. There is no doubt that a large number of IT security software developers will be working diligently on improving cyber security.

Attacks such as phishing, malware, and data breaches will not end soon as it is not easy to keep cyber criminals down. With most businesses being operated in cyberspace, a secure system is not just an option but a must-have need to make sure that the data is protected. You can only prevent becoming a victim of such attacks by recognizing common attack areas and foreseeing potential attack scenarios.

Key takeaways 

• Businesses and other organizations all around the world are emphasizing the importance of cybersecurity and how users can avoid cyberattacks. 
• 97% of people in the world cannot identify a phishing email or spam. A minor human error can cause millions to the organization. Phishing attacks are highly localized, geo targetted, clickable, and personalized. 
• Now that every business is going online, a security system that can protect your data is not just a choice—it’s a necessity.