4 Game-Changing Cybersecurity Tech Trends Redefining Business Protection

Cyber attacks are getting more common, more serious, and easier to execute. The average Joe (or Jane) can literally go online and pay a company to hack for them, in a transaction known as ransomware as service, or RaaS. AI and machine learning tools can be programmed to hack for their users. Anyone can buy a physical hacking tool, like a Rubber Ducky or Packet Squirrel, to simplify the hacking process.

The threats are also more consequential. With the rise of IoT in high-risk sectors like the medical industry, agriculture, and manufacturing, a hack can do more than “just” expose private data. Hackers can access actual physical devices and get them to perform differently than they normally would. This can compromise individuals’ physical safety, disrupt the food supply, and shut businesses down for long periods of time.

In other words, businesses need to be on top of their stuff if they want to protect their safety now and in the future. The risks of not implementing up-to-date cybersecurity protocols are too numerous and too grave. Fortunately, a number of new technologies and practices are enabling more effective safety measures.

Cybersecurity Tech Trends to Implement

Here are some of the most important cybersecurity tech trends redefining how businesses defend themselves against cyberattacks.

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Integration

Many cybersecurity platforms are now integrated with AI and machine learning tools, to help prevent cyberattacks. These tools can help spot patterns, anomalies, and deviations in ordinary user behavior to ward off hackers and malware. An endpoint protection platform, for example, monitors endpoint devices (phones, computers, tablets, etc.) for suspicious activities. They use AI tools that are trained to spot actions like unexpected logins or system changes.

More advanced AI-powered tools don’t just detect and report attacks and leave it at that; they can also take action to stop those attacks. They can do this by stopping suspicious programs from running or from accessing other parts of the system. AI and machine learning tools can also be trained to predict future attacks and even future types of attacks. This means that, in theory, they can help organizations fortify themselves against threats that don’t even exist yet.

2. IoT Security Measures

The hacking potential for IoT has already gotten pretty scary: hackers have accessed private individuals’ doorbells and baby cameras to look inside their homes. In one case, hackers figured out how to take control of a self-driving car. Security experts and the FDA have even found hackable vulnerabilities in pacemakers, defibrillators, and baby heart monitors. The potential dangers of IoT cyberattacks are far-reaching, impacting even critical infrastructure.

Fortunately, businesses can protect themselves against IoT attacks by following a few simple protocols. For one, they can use a different network to host IoT devices — one that isn’t connected to their other private data. They can also physically turn off IoT devices whenever they aren’t being used, to limit hacking potential. They can also practice good cybersecurity tech hygiene by regularly updating device software so that all current security patches are installed.

3. Biometric and Behavioral Authentication

Biometric authentication involves using a person’s unique physical traits — their facial features, iris scans, fingerprints, or voice — in order to confirm their identity. A business might use it to confirm a remote employee is really the person they say they are when accessing a company device. It can also be used in place of login credentials, to protect against password guessing and phishing attempts. In general, it’s used to stop bad actors from impersonating other individuals.

Behavioral authentication tools analyze behavior patterns, like how a person normally types or swipes a tablet. Small changes in these tiny details, called behavioral biometrics, can indicate that a user isn’t really who they claim to be. For example, say a supposed bank employee tries to open an account, but types much, much faster than usual. Behavioral authentication knows they haven’t gone from 40 to 100 WPM overnight; it’s probably not the same person.

4. SOAR Platforms

A SOAR platform is a unified cybersecurity dashboard that integrates tasks like real-time visibility, incident detection, and response automation. In other words, it’s an all-in-one tool that helps cybersecurity teams respond more efficiently to suspicious activity and attacks. By giving users access to a single, central database, SOAR platforms enable IT admins and security teams to coordinate their responses in real time.

SOAR platforms also make businesses safer by giving security teams the option to respond to low-level threats with automation. These automations work similarly to project management workflows, automatically running predefined processes. This automation frees teams from repetitive tasks, enabling them to direct the bulk of energy to more severe threats and incidents. SOAR platforms are designed to assess risk level so that these tasks are assigned to humans.

Upping the Ante

As cybersecurity threats continue to increase in frequency and severity, security experts are designing programs to better protect against them. While hackers will continue to get more sophisticated and efficient, those organizations working to stop them are still a step ahead. To protect your business, choose cybersecurity tech that is equipped to handle these evolving threats. Remember also to keep them current by installing new updates with every release.

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