Zubaid Kazmi, Managing Director, Identity and Access Management; Nick Stallone, Managing Director, Governance, Risk & Compliance Leader; and Jered Gordner, Senior Manager, IT Security Operations Center

2024 is poised to bring about significant cybersecurity advancements and challenges that demand the attention of the full IT community. Whether using old or new approaches, the success of most malicious tactics hinges on exploiting human vulnerabilities and compromising user credentials. It’s growing more difficult to solidify the security of one’s own identity, let alone be certain of the identity of all those we interact with professionally and personally.

The future of identity security lies in the incorporation of updated controls, awareness programs, and training initiatives designed to mitigate evolving access risks. In the new year, security leaders can stay one step ahead of these threats by deploying the following proactive cybersecurity strategies.

Thwart AI and Deepfake Identity Threats

The new year will bring the notable development of a broader market for automated and advanced spear phishing/vishing tools. Paired with improved deepfake and voice cloning technology, these tools will enhance social engineering success rates, leading to a surge in fraud and compromised user credentials.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Cybersecurity tools that integrate machine learning and artificial intelligence in recent years are expected to play a pivotal role in safeguarding organizations. With increased AI and ML adoption in 2023 providing more training data, these tools will become even more efficient in preparing organizations and protecting against emerging threats. This contributes to shorter implementation periods, benefiting areas like threat monitoring and assessment and allowing cybersecurity teams to focus on the most critical risks to their organizations.

Maintain Robust Network Health

The area of Network Performance Management (NPM) will likely continue to evolve with a heightened focus on the intersection of performance and security. As networks become increasingly complex, the symbiotic relationship between performance management and security will take center stage. Proactivity in cybersecurity is directly tied to maintaining robust network health, reflecting a holistic approach to safeguarding digital infrastructure.

Mounting NPM cybersecurity challenges necessitate a more nuanced use of AI and machine learning, extending beyond rapid threat detection to streamline network performance analysis. At the foundational level, securing the full perimeter also demands participation and training for all employees in an organization and beyond, even extending to third-party partners. One stray phishing or Business Email Compromise (BEC) threat in the inbox of an employee who has not undergone recent training can sabotage even the most sophisticated security program.

Furthermore, the concept of “security by design” will be pivotal for new network deployments, emphasizing the importance of incorporating security measures right from the design phase of network architecture. This will help in creating a robust network infrastructure that can adapt to the dynamic threat landscape.

The Rise of Passwordless Authentication

Recognizing the inherent vulnerabilities of traditional password-based systems, organizations will rapidly embrace the adoption of passwordless authentication and end-users will become more familiar with passkeys. These approaches enhance digital identity security, emphasize the need for a comprehensive understanding of Fast Identity Online (FIDO) standards, enforce limited trust, and heighten awareness of risks across the full IT landscape, extending even down to the entitlement level.

Whether for biometric authentication, one-time passcodes (OTPs), authentication apps, or security keys, it’s essential to carefully implement and secure alternative authentication methods to ensure overall system safety. When vetted for their security and implemented with adaptive capabilities, these methods can drastically reduce the risks of weak passwords and password theft. Not only is this approach generally more secure, but it’s often more user-friendly as well.

This Year and Beyond

As the market plays witness to a surge in automated spear phishing and vishing tools, coupled with deepfake and voice cloning advancements, the urgency for heightened defenses against compromised credentials and identity fraud grows stronger. The connections across overall cybersecurity, NPM, AI and machine learning show the necessity of strong access controls. Embracing these latest innovations will position organizations to not only navigate a more complex threat landscape in 2024, but to proactively secure their digital frontiers for the challenges that lie ahead.

Meta Description: Discover the emerging cybersecurity challenges and advancements for 2024, including AI and deepfake threats, network health, and the rise of passwordless authentication. Focus Keyword: Cybersecurity 2024

… Read the full article here: MorganFranklin Consulting 2024 Predictions: The Future Security Frontier – AI, Network Health, and the Passwordless Transformation of 2024 : @VMblog