Three security pros place their bets on 2024 security trends

Performanta, Saepio and Adarma have their say on what will influence security in the channel this year

Last week Gartner published its predictions of cybersecurity trends to watch in 2024.

Top of the list were GenAI, the rise of outcome-driven metrics, shifting security behavioural change, and increased identity & access management (IAM).

But to find out what channel partners think will be in season this year, CRN spoke with three channel security pros for their views.

Guy Golan, CEO, Performanta

"We will see more business-oriented language and dashboards for stakeholders to make the right decisions. Right now they are in the dark.

"There will be more product agnostic moves, as vendors will have issues differentiating themselves. As I always say, the days of Muhammed Ali winning by knockout are gone. Now it is all about tastes, flavours and preferences. No one has the absolute advantage.

"And that means the market will move into aligning cyber to business risk and not only compliance, which is the bare minimum. CTEM (continuous threat exposure management) is key. The digital world works in milliseconds, it is key that cyber will be continuous and in real time. Understanding threats and how they may impact me is vital.

"As the cyber skills shortage shows no signs of easing, resources that can fix the issues and mature the environment will be in high demand. Same for service providers. This means that while detection and response are key, the ability to remediate and fix security controls are crucial.

"The holy triangle of people, data, and threats will be more strongly cemented. IAM will be key to reduce risks emanating from lateral movement and insider threat. Data security will be central to control the access and flow of the data to reduce exposure risks. Threat management to detect anything material that can bring a business to a halt or losses. All the other areas will be to ensure these three cornerstones are fully functional in the ability to detect, respond, remediate and fix."

Rob Pooley, solutions director, Saepio Information Security

"With the growing cyber inequity between organisations that are cyber resilient and those that are not, we especially expect third-party cybersecurity risk management to mature and be more broadly adopted in 2024.

"Security and risk management leaders can improve the security function's reputation and performance by using generative artificial intelligence in proactive collaboration with business stakeholders.

"This will help lay the foundations for ethical, safe, and secure use of the disruptive technology - in other words, security leaders can help their business safely adopt the use of tools like ChatGPT and avoid issues like loss of sensitive data.

"Additionally, through to 2025, generative AI will cause a spike in the cybersecurity resources required to secure it, causing an increase in spend on data security. Organisations want to adopt AI tools but with security by design, so expect plenty of CoPilot readiness assessments this year.

"I agree we'll see a rise in Cybersecurity Outcome-Driven Metrics (ODMs) to bridge the communications gap in the boardroom. Organisations are seeking an approach to measuring cybersecurity value that resonates with executives and supports practical investment decisions that align with business needs.

"ODMs are increasingly being adopted to address this challenge. In short, business leaders get access to a dashboard displaying real-time holistic cyber risk information providing visibility on strengths, weaknesses and gaps.

"Much like they'll have a continuous view of financial risk indicators, this dashboard is for cyber. It allows them to focus their resources to drive optimal cyber resilience. Additionally, the metrics often expose organisational problems to address, such as the role the IT team plays in patching vulnerabilities for which the security function is typically held accountable."

John Maynard, CEO, Adarma

"The cybersecurity landscape of last year demonstrated the continual innovation of cybercriminals, a trend that will continue into 2024. To stay-ahead of the threat curve, security leaders must adopt a proactive and threat-led security strategy that can be adapted and scaled as the threat landscape rapidly evolves throughout the year.

"Organisations are increasingly adopting a consultative viewpoint on AI, acknowledging both its role as an 'accelerator' in offensive and defensive cybersecurity strategies. In the short term, there's a healthy scepticism due to its potential risks, including the creation of sophisticated cyber threats and challenges in attribution.

"The worry is that the rapid evolution of GenAI algorithms could outpace defensive measures, leaving organisations vulnerable to new and unpredictable attacks.

"However, amidst these concerns, there's a long-term hope that GenAI will revolutionise cybersecurity by bolstering defensive capabilities. With the ability to rapidly analyse vast amounts of data and identify patterns, GenAI holds promise in detecting and mitigating cyber threats more effectively.

Security Behaviour and Culture Programs Gain Increasing Traction to Reduce Human Risks

"The primary vulnerability exploited by most cyber-attacks is people, this underscores the importance for security leaders to concentrate on empowering individuals to react appropriately when confronted with various malicious encounters.

"While past education and training initiatives have helped mitigate the risk of inappropriate or incorrect human actions, they have plateaued in their effectiveness to prevent breaches. Consequently, security leaders must now champion organisational transformation aimed at ingraining additional behavioural change into the organisation's 'muscle memory'.

"There will be a much greater focus on creating a culture of security that positively impacts everyday workflows and decision-making processes, rather than short-term solutions. This strategic shift reflects a recognition of the evolving nature of cyber threats and the imperative for adaptive defences within enterprises."

Continuous Threat Exposure Management Programs Gain Momentum

"With cyber threats evolving rapidly and becoming increasingly sophisticated, traditional approaches to cybersecurity, such as periodic vulnerability assessments, are no longer sufficient. Continuous Threat Exposure Management Programs allow organisations to stay ahead of emerging threats by continuously monitoring their environment for vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

"By proactively identifying and addressing potential security risks, organisations can enhance their overall security posture and reduce the likelihood of successful cyber-attacks. As a result, more and more organisations are recognising the value of implementing continuous threat exposure management programs as part of their cybersecurity strategy."