Predictions, predictions...
Here are (some of) the key issues we think will shape the year and, in some cases, the years ahead.
> It's too easy to become a cyber criminal. Despite successes in taking down Dark Web marketplaces, it will remain trivially easy to buy or rent all you need to go into the crime business.
> Passwords will begin to disappear. Alternatives already exist but adoption has been slow. Take-up will increase as individuals and organisations react to the scale of the threat they face.
> Ubiquitous connectivity will creep closer. But the characteristics of 5G (e.g. low latency and small cell size ) will also enable ubiquitous surveillance and the end of anonymity.
> The nature of reality will cease to be a philosophical question. Deep fakes and disinformation will force societies to confront fundamental issues...or ignore them at their peril. Watch for moves to end online anonymity.
> The wild west days of data collection are over. Growing awareness of how online businesses use information about us will lead to change - and possibly charges - for some of their services. But technology will keep on providing new ways to monetise our lives.
> More vast data breaches will take place, leading to louder calls for the introduction of criminal offences for individuals found to have failed to protect users' information. The calls will overcome corporate resistance. Eventually.
> Supply chains will continue to become more complex, creating new opportunities for attackers. Solutions to understand and monitor suppliers will become mandatory.
> The internet will cease to be a global entity, as countries exert sovereignty in the digital realm. The result will be an arms race as companies and individuals seek ways to overcome restrictions.
> Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will become central to cybersecurity, but they will offer advantages to both attackers and defenders. Concerns will grow over their potential as weapons.
> And amid all this, we will remain the biggest security risk. While, technology will provide ever more sophisticated solutions, humans simply won't evolve at the same pace.
