Cyber security trends every CISO should know

October marks Global Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an ideal time to reflect on the rapidly evolving security landscape and the new strategies needed to keep organisations secure. Earlier this year, Gartner identified key cybersecurity trends poised to shape 2024, from AI’s growing role to human risks. Cybersecurity has, undoubtedly, become a business imperative, with enterprises more invested than ever in staying ahead of the curve. So, as the year winds down, it’s time to evaluate how these trends have unfolded and what the future holds. 

The Dual-Edged Sword of GenAI

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is one of the hottest topics in tech, with applications across industries. In cybersecurity, GenAI offers remarkable potential for automating tasks like threat detection, incident response, and vulnerability management. Particularly exciting is AI-enabled incident response, with ‘virtual analysts’ mimicking human actions to respond faster and more efficiently.

However, the same technology that empowers defenders also fuels attackers. GenAI can power sophisticated phishing attacks and automate malware production, escalating the complexity of threats. We must balance leveraging the benefits of AI while addressing its risks, with privacy being a top priority to ensure AI systems protect sensitive data.

Outcome-Driven Metrics and Executive Accountability

The finding highlights a growing focus on outcome-driven metrics for cybersecurity.  While not new, the approach has become more crucial. We’ve had many conversations with customers, exploring and explaining ROI on their security investments. Key metrics like reduced mean time to detect and respond, and false-positive reduction rate, help measure success.

However, the challenge lies in translating technical metrics for non-IT leaders. Instead of discussing mean time to detect (MTTD), explain it as ‘the average time it takes to identify a potential threat’. High-profile cybersecurity issues such as the recent CrowdStrike outage demonstrate the importance of communicating strategies and situations clearly in the boardroom.

Reducing Human Risks — A Cultural Shift

Cybersecurity is as much a human challenge as a technological one. The company’s call for human-centric security design aligns with our long-held belief; that most breaches stem from human error, whether misconfiguration or phishing. 

Security responsibility must extend beyond the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to every business unit. By embedding security champions across departments, organisations can decentralise efforts, making each team accountable for its own security, alleviating pressure on leaders and addressing the skills gap.

Addressing Third-Party Risks: An Inevitable Concern

One of its compelling viewpoints is that third-party cybersecurity risks are almost unavoidable. In today’s hyperconnected world, no business operates in isolation. Supply chain vulnerabilities — whether in software, services, or hardware — pose significant risks. The key to mitigating these risks lies in not just front-loaded due diligence but in ongoing, resilience-focussed investments.

At Tata Communications, we conduct continuous third-party assessments, ensuring vendors adhere to rigorous security standards. Still, no system is foolproof, and strong internal controls are essential to minimise the damage from third-party vulnerabilities.

The Promise (and Limitations) of Continuous Threat Exposure Management

It also predicts that by 2026, organisations prioritising security investments based on Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) could reduce breaches by two-thirds. While proactive, continuous threat evaluation holds promise, it's important to stay grounded. Phishing remains the leading cause of breaches, and it's unclear how CTEM will address this human-centric issue. Still, equipping organisations with the tools to better understand their external vulnerabilities will be crucial for strengthening security.

Identity-First Security and the Rise of Zero-Trust

Identity is the new perimeter. With users accessing data from multiple locations and devices, robust identity and access management (IAM) is vital. Zero Trust architecture, requiring continual user identity validation before granting access, is key to this strategy. We encourage integrating IAM across infrastructures for a seamless, secure user experience while ensuring stringent protection.

Behavioural analytics is also critical to Zero Trust. By monitoring user behaviour continuously, we can detect anomalies and challenge suspicious activity, reinforcing Zero Trust principles.

Cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting systems – it's about preserving trust. As industries integrate IT with legacy OT systems and embrace new technologies like GenAI, the complexity of threats continues to evolve. Addressing these challenges, from human error to third-party risks, is essential as we move into 2025 and beyond. 

Vaibhav Dutta

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Vaibhav Dutta is Associate Vice President and Global Head - Cybersecurity Products & Services at Tata Communications.