The security threats that businesses will face in 2019

The cyber security landscape is a constantly evolving one. The organizations best able to cope with it are the ones that can look beyond today's threats to those they'll face in future.

London-based Independent security body the Information Security Forum has released its Threat Horizon 2019 report which is developed for business leaders who need to rapidly grasp emerging information security threats and assess the potential business impacts.

Threat Horizon 2019 balances today's realities with forecasts that push the limits of present thinking. The latest report highlights nine major threats, broken down into three themes, that organizations can expect to face over the next two years as a result of developments in technology.

By 2019, organizations will be faced with a hyper-connected world where the pace and scale of change -- particularly in terms of technology -- will have accelerated substantially. Navigating this world will call for a strong collaborative culture with the right people congregating at the right time to play their part in ensuring success.

The three key themes the report identifies are:

Disruption, arising from an over reliance on fragile connectivity requiring a seismic shift in the way business continuity is planned, practiced and implemented.

Distortion, as trust in the integrity of information is lost, the monitoring of access and changes to sensitive information will become critical as will the development of complex incident management procedures.

Deterioration, caused by controls being eroded by regulations and technology bringing a heightened focus on risk assessment and management in the light of regulatory changes, and the increased prevalence of artificial intelligence in everyday technology.

"How an organization responds to today's increasing cyber security threats will vary based on a number of factors, including its unique blend of people and skills, products and services offered and approach to risk management," says Steve Durbin, managing director of the ISF. "However, an organization that is well informed about emerging technologies and corresponding threats will be best placed to make winning decisions. The key differentiating factor will be the degree to which organizations are prepared to meet the challenges of a fully-connected society. Many of the recommendations in Threat Horizon 2019 can be quickly and easily implemented over the next two years to help organizations securely navigate today’s expanding threat landscape with greater confidence."

Threat Horizon 2019 is aimed at senior business executives up to and including board level. More information on the report can be found on the ISF website.

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