In a departure from the typical cybersecurity predictions, this article offers bold and unconventional forecasts for 2024. Some key points include:
- The role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) will become crucial and akin to a CFO for data, with increased focus on board-level reporting.
- Generative AI will fuel identity-based attacks and elevate risks in AI-driven phishing and spear-phishing campaigns, making advanced security measures critical.
- Geopolitical tensions will inspire innovation in cyber technologies for warfare, leading to more attempts and attacks against operational technology and industrial control systems.
- Rising climate change activism could lead to disruptive hacktivist attacks on critical services like fossil fuel supplies. Chaotic threat actors driven by various motivations may also re-emerge.
- The looming threat of quantum computing highlights the need for quantum-resistant algorithms to protect against future attacks.
- QR codes may become a target for cybercriminals, particularly on mobile devices, as they become more ubiquitous.
- AI-driven disinformation campaigns, especially around national elections, may increase, impacting public perception and discourse.
- Rather than making specific predictions about threats, the focus should shift to addressing the most crucial gaps in cybersecurity thinking.
These predictions provide a fresh perspective and highlight the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats in the coming years.