The year ahead in cybersecurity: Expert predictions for 2024 – and how to prepare

The year ahead in cybersecurity: Expert predictions for 2024 – and how to prepare

If you’ve skipped ahead to peek into what the world of cybersecurity holds in 2024, you might wish you didn’t know: The nightmare-inducing headlines call for doom and gloom. Here are a few anxiety-inducing samples from various 2024 cybersecurity reports:

“AI-powered cyber-attacks will transform the security landscape in 2024, dragging security teams into high stakes games of whack-a-mole, cybersecurity experts are predicting.” - AI to transform cybersecurity landscape in 2024 (technologydecisions.com.au)

“By the end of the coming year, the cost of cyber-attacks on the global economy is predictedto top $10.5 trillion.” - The 10 Biggest Cyber Security Trends In 2024 Everyone Must Be Ready For Now (forbes.com) According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the cost of cybercrime was predicted to hit $8 trillion in 2023.

But if the old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure holds any real weight, we think that a measured look ahead – and some planning – could be the key to navigating the coming year for cybersecurity professionals and the companies, institutions, and people they protect. Another silver lining? – Cybersecurity professionals will be in demand more than ever. In this blog, we’ll share our predictions – supported by leaders in the field – of what the year ahead holds for cybersecurity professionals, and how to prepare.

What’s trending

The most common emerging cybersecurity threats in recent years have included:

• Ransomware attacks, where malicious actors encrypt a victim's data and demand a ransom for its release;

• Supply chain attacks, targeting vulnerabilities in software and hardware suppliers to compromise downstream targets;

• Zero-day vulnerabilities, exploiting undisclosed software flaws before patches are available; phishing and social engineering campaigns that manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information;

• The increasing use of artificial intelligence and machine learning by cybercriminals to automate and enhance their attacks, posing new challenges for defense mechanisms.

• These evolving threats require proactive and adaptive cybersecurity strategies to safeguard organizations and individuals.

Perhaps nothing holds greater threat and promise in the field of cybersecurity in the coming year than AI. As AI increases in sophistication at a frankly alarming rate, experts say we will continue to see more sophisticated and smarter AI-powered attacks, ranging from deepfake social engineering attempts to automated malware that intelligently adapts to evade detection. It’s important to not freak out, as AI is as much a weapon for the good guys in this emerging battlefield as it is for the bad players involved. The winners will be those who use it best to their advantage.

Other areas of emerging threats in cybersecurity in 2024 include more sophisticated phishing attacks, loT cyber attacks (especially due to the increasing prevalence of working from home leading to greater data sharing across devices, and the continued adoption of cyber warfare operations internationally.

What should CISOs be doing

Shira Landau, Editor-in-Chief of CyberTalk.org, recently shared seven things all CISOs should have on a checklist to prep for the coming year. A few of her recommendations include upgrading cloud security strategy, addressing API security, post-quantum preparation, focusing on AI-driven threat prevention, setting up AI red team exercises, and zero trust architecture. 

We also think that cybersecurity will need to move beyond the IT department and into the boardroom. Expect to see more cybersecurity experts recruited to board positions, and a growing focus on cybersecurity measures by boards. To that end, organizations will need to move beyond simply defending against cybersecurity attacks, but also focus on how to increase their resilience and ability to recover from cyber-attacks. Strengthening the capability to recover in an agile manner while minimizing data loss and downtime should be a strategic priority in 2024.

A key way many organizations will continue to strengthen their defense is by empowering all members to be on the frontlines in the ongoing cybersecurity threat. End-user cybersecurity awareness training is seeing widespread adoption, and that will only continue as organizations realize that cybersecurity literacy is a necessity in the modern era. (We’d be remiss here if we didn’t add that we happen to have a great solution for that at ACI Learning).

What’s the job outlook for cybersecurity roles

The cybersecurity job outlook in 2024 is expected to remain highly favorable, with a growing demand for skilled professionals to combat evolving cyber threats and protect sensitive data. As technology continues to advance, industries across the board are recognizing the critical importance of cybersecurity, leading to increased job opportunities in areas such as threat analysis, incident response, penetration testing, and security architecture. With the ongoing expansion of digital infrastructure, cloud services, and the Internet of Things (IoT), the need for cybersecurity experts is likely to continue to outpace the supply, making it a promising career field with strong job prospects in 2024 and beyond.

A shortage of professionals with the skills needed to protect organizations from cyber-attacks continues to be a running theme. In fact, the situation appears to be getting worse –researchindicates that a majority (54 percent) of cybersecurity professionals believe the impact of the skills shortage on their organization has worsened over the past two years. We can expect efforts to rectify this situation to include a continued increase in salaries paid to those with the necessary skills, as well as greater investment in training, development, and upskilling programs.

Train for a Career in Cybersecurity at ACI Learning

If you’re ready to join the fight against bad actors, we can help!

With our ACI Learning Tech Academy, our courses are always taught by a live instructor with years of industry experience. You’ll be able to ask questions, participate in group discussions, and get trained in real time. With course content that’s updated regularly, you’ll be ready to work in the industry.

• Instructor Mentors are available for personal study support. They’ll create a personalized study plan to help you master even the toughest concepts.

• With your enrollment, ACI Learning covers the cost of one exam attempt for each course. These exams can cost hundreds of dollars, but we know that getting the certification is the goal of each student.

• Take classes in a way that works for you. Attend in person or online (depending on location and funding). Each course runs for four hours per day on a morning, afternoon, or evening schedule, so that you can make your training fit in with the rest of your life. 

• Everybody learns a little bit differently. Our courses include myriad ways to consume the material, including ITPro videos, study games, dynamic quizzes, practice labs, group projects, discussion sections, digital flashcards and more.

• The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT®) officially recommended 12 ACI Learning courses for college credit. That means a class at ACI Learning could count towards a traditional degree.

If you’re looking for a more independent, self-paced mode for training, our ITPro course catalog offers more than 7,000 hours of training in every vendor and certification you would need.

Sources:

AI to transform cybersecurity landscape in 2024 (technologydecisions.com.au)

Top Cybersecurity Trend Predictions for 2024:… | BeyondTrust

The 10 Biggest Cyber Security Trends In 2024 Everyone Must Be Ready For Now (forbes.com)

These 7 items should be on your CISO checklist for 2024 - CyberTalk