7 cybersecurity predictions for 2016

Phil Edge January 7th 2016 Cyber-Crime

By Allen Storey, Chief Product Officer

With 2015 now behind us, here at Intercede we thought we’d kick-off the New Year with a look into the future, at the cybersecurity trends we’re expecting to emerge in 2016:

  1. Cybercrime will move to the phone
    As mobile devices become the interface of choice for more and more consumers, the focus of cybercrime will shift from websites and the PC to apps and the smartphone; leading to more malware and bad apps appearing on apps stores and being used with criminal intent.
  2. Increased use of ID as a Service
    Due to a global cyber security skills shortage, organizations are increasingly likely to struggle to solve their cybersecurity problems internally. Organizations will become more willing to consume Identity Services as a modular cloud service; bridging the skills gap with outsourced services.
  3. The Internet of Things will increase the attack surface
    As more and more devices become connected to the Internet, the number of potential attack points will increase. Somebody taking over your IP-connected toaster may not seem like a big deal, but if they use it to get onto your network you may end up with more than just burnt toast!
  4. Cyber insurance will drive the industry
    As organizations seek to protect themselves from the business continuity risks of a cyber-attack they will turn to insurers for help. The organizations providing cyber insurance will begin to demand certain cyber defences are in place before insurance will be provided… or premiums will begin to increase. This will then drive the industry to become more compliant.
  5. New EU data protection rules will hit the boardroom
    EU general data protection regulation will be updated, and come into force, at the end of 2017. It’s likely that companies will start to prepare in 2016. Due to the level of attention cybersecurity is currently receiving, this will move from the IT director’s inbox to be more visible at board level.
  6. Hacktivists will weaponize data
    Private data stolen from organizations will be made public for political purposes. Anything from salaries of bankers to private opinions of CEOs expressed in emails will become targets for exploitation.
  7. Cybercrime as a service
    Cybercrime services will become increasingly available on the dark web. Anyone interested in accessing your competitor’s customer list or bringing down their website for $5k?

Organizations and app developers will need to think about new ways to protect their users against these threats and we’re keen to see how the increasing need to comply with data protection rules will impact the cybersecurity industry as a whole. Let’s brace ourselves for an interesting year!

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