Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know 2021 has been a year of digital transformation. Change has taken place at a rapid rate, accelerated by trends such as home and hybrid working. As more employees than ever make the move away from the office, the world is increasingly moving online.
This is the case for both our personal and professional lives, but the latter is where the biggest changes have been seen. Let’s look at what this means for the year ahead and the trends that will define the commercial cybersecurity space in 2022.
Going passwordless
While moving online has many benefits, it also comes with challenges. Many of these pertain to cybersecurity. Internet crime has never been more sophisticated, and as new technologies and ways of working develop, hackers are increasingly attempting to infiltrate these systems. Passwords
represent an obvious weak spot, which is why businesses must go passwordless or get left behind. So, what is passwordless authentication? The term refers to any identity verification method that doesn’t rely on a password and includes everything from biometrics to email magic links, physical security keys, and specialized apps. It’s much safer than traditional options for companies keen to upgrade their security, essentially eliminating the threat vector of passwords. Impossible for hackers to crack, passwordless methods also deliver a smoother and more convenient online experience
for customers. As an online shopper, you should look for sites that take cyber security seriously.
Bigger cybersecurity budgets
The increased risks that come with the digital transformation are well known, and one-way businesses will react in 2022 is by increasing their cybersecurity budgets. While they may make cost savings on commercial rents, this is one area where expenditure must increase. That’s because the
frequency of attacks is growing at a rapid rate. IT leaders will combat this by increasing their spending – by an average of 8.4 percent over the next 12 months. That being said, outlay may be slightly erratic, with 41 percent of decision-makers showing that they require a better understanding of which areas
need investing in.
A greater focus on remote security
As we mentioned above, at-home and hybrid working were some of the defining trends of 2021. As a result, 2022 will see a far greater focus on remote security, with companies expecting 51 percent of their
workforce to work outside of the office over the next 12 months. This means businesses will be exposed to a myriad of threats, including poorly secured home networks and personal devices with varying levels of security inbuilt. The growing presence of at-home IoT devices will also contribute. This means that, over the next year, we’ll likely see new technologies being developed to strengthen remote security
and address these threats. Savvy businesses are likely to invest heavily.
For defining the cybersecurity trends of 2022, most of these will be reactionary and in response to the growing prevalence of home working and hybrid models. However, for businesses with their fingers on the button, these should pose a few issues and offer a great opportunity to strengthen your cybersecurity defenses and stay protected in the long term.