Top 10 Cybersecurity Trends for 2023: From Zero Trust to Cyber Insurance

As technology advances, cyberattacks are becoming more
sophisticated. With the increasing use of technology in our daily
lives, cybercrime is on the rise, as evidenced by the fact that
cyberattacks caused 92% of all data breaches^[1] in the first quarter of
2022. Staying current with cybersecurity trends and laws is crucial
to combat these threats, which can significantly impact business
development.

In 2023, the cybersecurity market is expected to see new trends,
and businesses must be adequately prepared for any developments.
Andrey Slastenov, Head of Web Security at Gcore, shares his
insights on these trends in this article.

1 — Application security

As businesses shifted online to stay afloat during the pandemic,
the forecast for application security spending is projected to
surpass $7.5 billion, according to Statista^[2].

However, every application might be susceptible to hacking,
zero-day attacks, and identity theft. Ensuring application security
demands professionals write secure code and design secure
application architecture, implement robust data entry verification,
and address vulnerabilities promptly to prevent unauthorized access
or modification of application resources.

2 — Cloud security

According to more data by Statista^[3], cloud security is the
fastest-growing segment in the IT security market, with a projected
growth of nearly 27% from 2022 to 2023. This is mainly due to the
increasing demand for cloud solutions in the wake of the COVID-19
outbreak. While more companies are choosing cloud data storage for
its convenience and faster accessibility, there is also a growing
need to secure cloud data during both transmission and storage to
prevent unauthorized access.

3 — Mobile security

The mobile phone has replaced our trips to the banks, stores,
and outings with friends. With just a few taps in an app, we can
order any service or product without leaving the couch. Every app
stores our data, search and order history, and location
information. The number of attacks in this sector will continue to
grow along with the market, and malicious actors will exploit
simple opportunities in e-commerce, banking services, and online
booking to take advantage whenever possible.

4 — IoT

As a result of home automation using IoT, the supply of devices
for “smart” homes is expected to reach 1.8 billion^[4]
by 2025. Smart devices, smart homes, and voice assistants have
become integral to our lives. However, we need to remember that
each such device can be hacked and taken over by a cybercriminal.
For example, the percentage of hacking automotive systems is
growing—safety airbags, climate control, and other essential
functions are increasingly connected to the Internet. It is
expected that with the expansion of the number of automated
vehicles on the roads in 2023, the number of attempts to take them
over or eavesdrop on conversations will also rise.

5 — Remote work and attacks on corporate networks

Remote work has relaxed the control companies have over their
employees’ safe use of data. Cybercriminals, along with those
engaged in phishing and social engineering, have taken advantage of
this loophole, using increasingly sophisticated attack methods to
compromise networks.

Secure authentication management and authorized access to
company data are the main methods of protecting this sector.

As mentioned above, social engineering is still a factor to be
reckoned with and is also evolving. Over the years, attacks have
become multi-channel, meaning that the same user receives phishing
emails and is targeted through SMS and social media.

6 — Cyber insurance

As cyberattacks and the levels of risk associated with them
continue to grow^[6], so do new related
industries designed to mitigate these risks, including cyber
insurance. Organizations turn to it to minimize threats and
financial losses from attacks.

To obtain full insurance coverage, demonstrating a company’s
proper level of protection is increasingly becoming mandatory.
Small and medium-sized enterprises may need help meeting the cyber
insurance requirements that keep company data safe.

7 — Zero trust does not replace VPNs—yet

The concept is based on “never trust, always verify.” In a
zero-trust environment, users are constantly checked, reassessed,
and reauthenticated using multiple authentication methods.

Gartner believes^[7]
that Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is the fastest-growing form
of network security, which will grow by 31% in 2023 and completely
replace VPNs by 2025.

8 — Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) has already been successfully used
in cyber defense. It is expected to become even more prevalent in
2023, particularly in monitoring, resource and threat analysis, and
rapid response capabilities.

9 — Attack detection tools are no longer a luxury

Each attack potentially leads to severe consequences because
safeguards are either not in place or currently unavailable. A
successful data breach can cost millions of dollars, and the amount
depends directly on the type of attack and its duration, as well as
the loss of reputation, customer loyalty, and the customers
themselves. There are no forecasts or guarantees for any specific
business or industry—any company that stores data on a network can
be attacked.

The only way organizations can stop an attack or reduce its
impact is to identify unusual activity across their entire
ecosystem of users, applications, and infrastructure. That is why
providers will increasingly use AI and ML.

Gartner predicts^[8]
that the demand for cloud-based solutions for detection and
response will significantly increase in the coming years.

10 — Outsourcing cybersecurity

As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, many
companies need help to ensure a high level of security on their
own. Therefore, the trend of protecting companies with expert
service providers will flourish. Undoubtedly, cyber insurance has
raised the bar for the level of protection, and now service
providers will face higher demands.

Conclusion

We have discussed cybersecurity trends based on the latest
developments at the intersection of technology and business.
Understanding these trends allows you to assess the risk of attacks
for your industry, consider a protection implementation plan, and
put it into action.

Gcore^[9]
is an international leader in public cloud and edge computing,
content delivery, hosting, and security solutions, with protection
servers based on high-performance Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors.
Learn how Gcore repelled^[10] a 650 Gbps attack in
January 2023.