10 Strategic Cybersecurity Trends & Predictions for 2024

As 2024 draws near, the cybersecurity sector is poised for profound changes. Cyberattacks are not only becoming more common but also more sophisticated, which is challenging long-held security beliefs. Staying ahead of the curve and prepared requires recognizing the following significant developments in our ever-changing digital environment.

By researching the top 10 cybersecurity trends and forecasts for the upcoming year, this article seeks to strengthen our digital defenses by providing insights into how products like Splashtop adjust to these developments.

We’ll go deep into what the future holds for this crucial sector, from the emergence of AI in cybersecurity to the growing importance of mobile Security.

Threat Actors in AI Take Centre Stage

AI capabilities will be added to human threat actors more and more. As a force multiplier, these abilities will quickly increase an attacker’s weapons scope and technical proficiency.

Although we have previously seen the use of AI skills to create malware and ransomware, we have yet to explore AI’s potential as an organization cyber threat thoroughly. The future is already here with generative AI (think ChatGPT and similar technologies), which lays the groundwork for weak AI (also known as narrow AI), which concentrates on, restricted tasks.

In 2024, weak AI will be in high demand, giving threat actors a tactical advantage in areas like identifying weaknesses and preventing finding out.

Additionally, we anticipate that Strong AI—which provides a far more comprehensive and human-like intelligence—will increase significantly. AGI- Artificial General Intelligence – and ASI – Artificial Super Intelligence are other terms for strong AI. It could cause computer-based threat actors to arise who can launch end-to-end cyberattacks independently.

One threat actor will operate as a massive group with the help of strong AI. This will replace the technical expertise previously provided by others while providing the attacker a speed and scale advantage for profiting from the black market versus established, human-only threat actors.

Threat actors have always used new technologies to further their evil agendas. Fake news reports from reputable magazines, fictitious court cases, fraudulent messages, and commands from reputable organizations are just a few examples of early warning signs for this possibility.

These will appear as voices, voice-overs, movies, and even fake product announcements or fraudulent histories, testing our capacity to distinguish between real and fake.

Dedicated Applications Begin the Extinction Process

The specialized apps and icons we like will become outdated in 2024 because of generative AI.

Collaboration may happen if we abandon our marketplaces and mobile apps in favor of artificial intelligence. Already, generative AI has shown its ability to create extensive trip plans, determine the accuracy of factual material based on a reliable connection, and dynamically display information in response to spoken or written requests.

With that kind of adaptability and capability, specialized travel, banking, and data retrieval apps might need to be updated if zero-trust techniques could be used to build secure links.

It might become necessary to answer queries like “What is my bank statement,” “Could you book my trip,” or “Please fetch the last ten sales for my company.” Like a browser, the programs could turn into trust-building links to a standard interface that offers the outcomes.

Here’s where generative AI is headed. With a standard interface, we’ll need to provide a voice command. Because detailed apps no longer require sophisticated user interfaces, function-specific and results-driven design may eventually make more excellent mobile device screens unnecessary.

Combined Security Vendor Approach

Every day, cybersecurity grows more complicated. Vendor sprawl presents challenges, including higher management complexity, integration concerns, and holes in an organization’s security coverage as the attack surface expands.

It is now impracticable to address every danger detected separately due to the enormous amount and complexity of threats in an organization’s digital environment.

Enterprises are actively encouraged to switch to a continuous approach to continuous threat management as a strategic response.

This method recognizes the interconnectedness of contemporary company operations by extending threat assessments to integrated supply chains.

Cost-cutting increases the entire cybersecurity posture of the organization, even if it shouldn’t be the primary driving force for a unified cybersecurity strategy.

Integrated Security Approach, Streamlined Administration, Enhanced Transparency, Weakened The level of detail, Simplified Interaction, Enforcing Policies Consistently, Improved Reaction to Events, Scale Economies.

Enhanced Complexity in Attack Methods

We’ve noticed a discernible increase in attack vector complexity. Cybercriminals are now developing complex attack techniques that frequently combine social engineering with sophisticated technological exploits rather than merely taking advantage of simple weaknesses.

Endpoint Incidents:

With threats ranging from ransomware to phishing scams to zero-day vulnerabilities to file-less malware to Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks, the growth of endpoint attack surfaces has been a significant cause for worry. These attacks use weaknesses in high-end PCs, cell phones, and Internet of Things devices.

Ransomware Attacks:

As evidenced by the incidents on Reddit, Dole Food Company, the City of Oregon, Enzo Biochem, the United States Marshals Service, and San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit, malware is still targeting critical infrastructure and large organizations.

Microsoft Service Misuse:

STORM-0558, an attacker with espionage motivations, used a stolen signing key and broad application scopes to exploit Microsoft rights and mint session tokens for Microsoft services used by impacted organizations. The attack is an example of the complexity of attacking digital trust and authentication systems.

Cloud-Based Attacks:

Attackers have targeted cloud systems to compromise Security and gain access to cloud repositories. These hacks cause activities to be disrupted and compromise essential data. A notable surge in cloud infostealers has been noted, wherein instruments driven by financial gain steal data from susceptible or improperly designed cloud services.

UCS is the Way of the Future

Long-distance phone bills, desktop phones, and POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) will finally be in 2024, and dedicated VOIP will be closed. None of us are surprised by POTS’s demise. Two decades ago, we predicted its downfall.

Few POTS systems still exist today that aren’t replaced by VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), which consists of actual smartphones connected to TCP/IP that make phone calls utilizing a variety of technologies.

Early VOIP systems need sophisticated gateway technologies to connect on-premises VoIP implementations to POTS outside of the system. The cloud then moved in.

VoIP might be controlled from the cloud if your company has adequate Internet bandwidth to handle data, streaming, and voice conversations according to quality-of-service specifications.

These days, Unified Communication Services (UCS) and apps are replacing all of them. The advent of Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Ring Central, and other similar platforms has revolutionized communication, rendering dedicated phone conversations redundant.

We have eliminated the necessity for dedicated VOIP and POTS since we can answer calls on our PCs and cell phones utilizing apps. It is a matter of time until email addresses and aliases completely obscure phone numbers and become irrelevant.

And last, since communications are no longer dependent on a separate analog system, be prepared for hackers, flaws, and exploits to compromise what was before thought to be a secure communication medium.

An Increase in IoT Cyberattacks

According to the SonicWall Cyber Threat Report’s mid-year update for 2023, there were 77.9 million assaults overall, a significant increase over the 57 million attacks documented during the same period in 2022. It’s frightening, right?

It is also anticipated that as the number of IoT devices increases dramatically, so will the attention on IoT security methods. Trends that should be expected include:

The extensive use of more robust authentication systems.
The incorporation of cutting-edge encryption methods.
The deployment of strict access restrictions.
There is also an increasing emphasis on patch management and routine software updates to fix vulnerabilities quickly.

Fundamentals of Cybersecurity-by-Design:

Including Security in the design and development stages of Internet of Things devices will become increasingly important. Security-by-design principles guarantee minimizing vulnerabilities by incorporating security considerations into the device’s architecture.

Improvements in Security Using Edge Computing:

Adding edge computing to IoT systems will help increase Security. By preprocessing and filtering data locally, edge devices might reduce the amount of private data sent across networks and the attack surface that cybercriminals could exploit.

Juice Jackers Take Advantage of USB-C Standardisation

In 2024, USB-C will become the standard worldwide, replacing USB-A, and there won’t be any more repeatedly switching connectors to find the right key for a connection.

Due to new regional rules, USB-C will be used for everything, including computers and mobile phones, and high-speed data transfers and recharging will be possible. We may anticipate seeing those outdated, rectangular, one-way USB-A connections gradually phased out of everything over the years, including alarm clocks and airplanes.

In addition to ensuring compatibility and moving us closer to utilizing a single power connector globally, having a single standard USB connector will also help eliminate a tonne of e-waste from proprietary connectors.

Regarding the danger, you should also anticipate a rise in juice jacking and other physical connection-related attack vectors. Threat actors now have a single connection type to target, which dramatically lowers the hurdle.

The Sudden Rise of Ransomware 2.0

The threat level associated with ransomware has increased. Danger actors are increasingly using data exfiltration in addition to data encryption, posing a twin danger of data breach and data lockout.

According to research from Panda Security, double extortion in ransomware attacks is on the rise. In the past, ransomware concentrated on solo extortion by encrypting a company’s data and requesting payment for the key to recover it.

Nonetheless, ransomware organizations have now developed the ability to steal victims’ data and store it offline before encrypting it. Then, to create a double extortion situation, they threaten to publish or leak the data if a ransom is not paid. Since this method is more profitable, it is being used increasingly.

Anticipate a change in the attack’s aim from extortion-focused data to saleable exploitable data. Rather than carrying out the ransom directly, shady players will concentrate more on selling exploit and vulnerability information about a company.

In only the last year, the target of an attack has changed from protecting health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII) to ransomware, spyware, and malware. Even instances of ransomware attacks using exfiltrated data as a means of extortion have been documented.

When it combines with AI, we should anticipate a further shift in attack objectives in 2024 to target vulnerable identifiable information (VII) and exploit identifiable information (EII).

Threat actors will begin using the threat to sell exploitable data, such as corporate vulnerabilities, exploits, identities, privileges, and hygiene, rather than getting their hands dirty (and running the risk of discovery) by inserting malware and holding companies hostage for ransomware payment.

With a new goal, this hacker will go for information that might compromise someone or compromise an organization. Threat actors will compile a list of vulnerabilities and use that information as a weapon, much like an auditor would examine your security procedures and advise you on what has to be fixed.

AI Evolution Establishes a Moving Goal for AI Governance

Over the next five years, AI governance and compliance domains could expect significant evolution.

A maximized emphasis will be placed on the responsible regulation of artificial intelligence in the public and private sectors as AI and machine learning (ML)-based technologies spread throughout systems, processes, products, and technologies. As a result, organizations will be required to comply with these regulations.

Rules will be centered on how AI is developed and applied to ensure privacy and ethical norms are followed. These rules may initially differ significantly between regions. Laws, rules, and frameworks that expand the scope of what AI can do by area, industry, and government should be anticipated.

The Misuse of Remote Work Facilities

Vulnerabilities in remote access technologies and collaborative platforms have become attractive targets as remote work becomes the norm. This development highlights the necessity of solid security procedures in remote work environments.

Citrix Exploitation of Vulnerabilities Regarding the exploitation of a particular vulnerability, CVE-2023-3519, in Citrix’s NetScaler Application Delivery Controller (ADC) and NetScaler Gateway, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued advisories. Threat actors have used this unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability as a target to implant webshells, highlighting the vulnerabilities in remote work technology.

CryptolockBit 3.0 Malware Citrix Vulnerability Analysis Citrix NetScaler ADC and Gateway equipment include another vulnerability, CVE-2023-4966, which has been reported to be exploited, underscoring the dangers even more.

Affiliates of the ransomware LockBit 3.0 were actively using this vulnerability as early as August 2023, demonstrating the complexity of today’s cyber threats. These threat actors demonstrated a thorough awareness of and capacity to attack vulnerabilities in remote work infrastructure by successfully circumventing multi-factor authentication and taking over valid user sessions.

Wrap up! In the year 2024, Be Cautious of Cybersecurity Challenges.

Although this recommendation on Security never gets old, we have discussed it several times. The efficiency of risk management is always greatly enhanced by anticipating and planning.

Studies repeatedly show that businesses with more proactive IT security postures mitigate attacks more successfully than less prepared ones, stop more threats, spot possible security problems sooner, have fewer breaches, and limit damage from assaults.

Certera is an excellent first step if you want to take proactive measures with your cybersecurity posture. Our Cyber Security Experts are all set to protect you and your organization.

Top 10 Strategic Cybersecurity Trends & Predictions for 2024