2020 Cybersecurity Review and 2021 Cybersecurity Predictions

It’s the end of the year and the beginning of the year, and 2020 has an extraordinary start that has changed the world too much. In the field of cybersecurity, the “2020 Cybersecurity Review and 2021 Cybersecurity Forecast” recently released by Palo Alto Networks is quite representative.

　　2020 Cybersecurity Review

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has significantly accelerated the digital transformation of the world, and the consequent data security implications of telecommuting, contact tracing apps and wearables have also brought new cyber threats.

　　Today’s 4G problems are tied to 5G

The vast majority of countries in the Asia-Pacific region still use 4G networks as their first choice. 4G has just been launched in some Asia-Pacific countries, so it will take a long time for 5G networks to reach a certain scale. Although 5G networks will develop alongside 4G networks, the 5G era has not yet fully arrived. Under the circumstance that existing security risks cannot be eliminated, mobile Internet service providers will be the first to fall in cyber attacks, and insecure IoT system vulnerabilities, etc., if they cannot be solved in the 4G era, the impact will be exponential in the 5G environment Sexual expansion.

The actual situation:

● The COVID-19 pandemic and numerous financial, infrastructural and geopolitical challenges have hindered the deployment of 5G in many countries.

● 4G remains the status quo in most of Asia Pacific and Japan, although a few countries such as Thailand, South Korea, China and Japan have launched limited consumer services.

● Although 4G networks have been around for several years, they are still very vulnerable to cyber threats, especially Denial of Service (DoS) attacks.

● Given the limited available services, 5G attacks are still relatively rare at the moment. However, the proof-of-concept attacks we’ve seen so far are designed to force users to switch from 5G networks back to 4G networks, underscoring the importance of 4G security even as we enter the 5G era.

　　Talent shortage problem

Curious and problem-solving talent is desperately needed. Unless there is a fundamental change in the perception of how much work humans and automation can each do, cybersecurity talent will continue to be in short supply. Automation will be a key element of future cybersecurity because humans shouldn’t be required—and shouldn’t be expected—to do everything. Instead, they need to leverage those skills that cannot be automated and focus on higher-level tasks such as problem-solving, communication, and collaboration. Instead of chasing elites that are few and far between (they don’t exist!), companies should find talent in the right channels.

The actual situation:

● In November 2019, the world’s largest non-profit Institute of Cybersecurity Certified Professionals (ISC)? A global study was released stating that to meet existing demand, the number of cybersecurity personnel needs to increase by 145%.

● At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, people scrambled to work remotely, and cybersecurity professionals were understaffed, creating ideal opportunities for cybercriminals. Some of the most well-known types of attacks include Covid-19 or coronavirus-themed malicious spam campaigns that attract unsuspecting victims; newly registered domain names also exploit Covid-19 themes, which are ultimately used for fraud, command and control attacks and malicious intent. Software hosting, and ransomware attacks targeting critical sectors such as healthcare.

● In recent months, both the public and private sectors have stepped up efforts to train and recruit cybersecurity professionals—both in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.

● Many of these initiatives help bring in professionals with diverse backgrounds and skills, potentially addressing the soft skills gap we identified in last year’s forecast.

● While this is a positive step towards building a more sustainable talent pool, companies still need to be aware that these new resources are not a magic bullet for solving the global talent shortage.

● The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly demonstrated the importance of these roles now and in the future. We want to see more people choose cybersecurity as a career path as a result.

　Exploring the Internet of Things will be a minefield for everyone

Beware that your wireless doorbell in your home can attract unwanted guests. As more and more IoT products enter the market, cyber threats are quietly hidden. What happens when someone steps on these mines? In 2020, we expect the development of IoT security to unfold in two key areas: personal and industrial IoT. Whether it’s connected doorbell cameras or wireless speaker systems, we will see a growing pattern of attacks through insecure apps, weak login credentials, and deepfakes, as will manufacturing, a key pillar of many Asian economies major changes.

The actual situation:

● In addition to managing existing IoT vulnerabilities, the massive shift to telecommuting has brought more IoT connections, creating a formidable challenge for cybersecurity teams this year.

● As more work devices connect to home networks, and more personal devices connect to enterprise networks, IoT security issues in 2020 will become more complex:

● In our own “Internet of Things Security Report”, more than half (52%) of the enterprises surveyed in China indicated the need to significantly improve their IoT security solutions.

○ Nearly half (42%) of the companies surveyed in China said they have not started IoT security processes or have not yet divided a separate network for IoT devices.

● As working from home becomes more common, businesses will need to continue to refine their approach to managing cyber threats and reinforce the importance of cyber hygiene.

● In terms of Industrial Internet of Things, Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest market share in the global Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) market in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic may temporarily halt expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, but the region is likely to remain a major hub for industrial manufacturing and a focal point for major global investments and cybercriminals.

● Industrial IoT devices rarely have direct user interaction, and this unattended nature means that any potential device intrusion is likely to go unnoticed and undetected, especially if malware does not disrupt the device’s primary function, But having an impact elsewhere in the network is even more so.

● The networked sensors, controls and other Electronic devices that now make up the Industrial Internet of Things are adding new functions in the form of data exchange, control or remote monitoring, but at the same time creating new business and social risks.

● While we have not observed significant new attacks, IoT botnets like Mirai are still evolving and exploiting new vulnerabilities. We also observed attackers actively exploiting legacy vulnerabilities on consumer routers.

　　Data privacy lines are blurring

More data privacy regulations, and the security paradox of data sovereignty. Most people don’t hesitate to provide personal information for short-term benefits, such as popular apps, mobile games, or online competitions. To help address this growing problem and protect citizen data, regulators have moved around enforcing stricter local data privacy laws, such as those recommending that citizen data be kept in the country of its origin.

However, building a localized data center does not necessarily make data more secure. Because individual end users or businesses are increasingly connected, they are vulnerable to global events.

The actual situation:

● Data privacy is one of the few topics that will compete with the COVID-19 pandemic in the headlines in 2020.

● In Asia Pacific and countries around the world, from controversies over popular Chinese-owned apps, to the collection of personal data for contact tracing, discussions about how we access, store and share personal data have taken center stage.

● As some countries and businesses are wary of contact-tracing apps and wearables — even if they accept that they are necessary — the COVID-19 pandemic further complicates data privacy concerns.

● Contact tracing apps (both government and industry developed) and wearables have taken over the data privacy debate from data sovereignty, but storage of this data remains a thorny issue.

● In 2020, the need to track the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to be the ultimate test for governments to effectively protect citizens’ data on a large scale.

　　The cloud’s future is in sight: Don’t get lost in the turmoil

Configuration is more confusing. Attitudes and acceptance of cloud applications vary across the region. While moving to the cloud is justified, caution is required when putting critical information into the cloud. Large enterprises in Asia Pacific use multiple security tools, resulting in a fragmented security posture, especially when the enterprise operates in a multi-cloud environment. Given that large enterprises do not have the time and resources to dedicate to cloud security auditing and training, automation is clearly needed.

The actual situation:

● In our 2019 Asia Pacific Cloud Security Study, we found that in China:

○ 50% of large enterprises cite security and privacy concerns as their biggest challenges in adopting cloud computing.

○ 76% of large enterprises have more than 10 security tools running simultaneously.

○ 77% of enterprises do not have security tools in place that provide a unified view of all threats on the cloud.

○ 78% of Chinese enterprises surveyed mistakenly believe that the security provided by cloud providers is sufficient to protect them from threats, and have false confidence in their cybersecurity posture.

● Our State of Cloud-Native Security Report, representing the world’s largest cloud-native security market data, found that increased reliance on the cloud did not increase confidence in the cloud security posture. Additionally, leveraging multiple security vendors and tools has become the norm; however, respondents remain unsure who is truly responsible for security.

● The COVID-19 outbreak has undoubtedly exacerbated all of this confusion. The COVID-19 pandemic is a key catalyst, accelerating the shift to the cloud in 2020, as businesses find themselves needing to digitize quickly to better support remote workers.

● Haste is not enough: Unfortunately, the confusion of the move to the cloud has led to the same, if not more severe, challenges of misconfiguration. Our Cloud Threats Report for the Second Half of 2020 found that identity misconfiguration is pervasive in cloud accounts and is a significant security risk for businesses, potentially leading to costly data breaches. Conducted between May and August 2020, the study covers terabytes of data worldwide, as well as thousands of cloud accounts and over 100,000 GitHub repositories.

　2021 forecast

2020 is a watershed year and a true test of our overall digital resilience. With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic likely to linger for years, companies must revisit their strategies to navigate this new normal over the longer term. With our increasing reliance on technology, how can businesses succeed in securing a digital future in 2021? Here are Palo Alto Networks’ predictions for 2021 on cybersecurity trends that will shape the digital future:

　Prediction 1 The data privacy debate will intensify

● While the debate around data privacy has been going on for years—some big tech companies are wary of data use, and GDPR compliance remains a challenge for businesses—what really gets individuals to take data privacy seriously is Contact Tracing Services.

● Rigorous contact tracing services and timely access to accurate and complete data have proven to be key factors in helping many East Asian countries that are rapidly turning to such digital tools “flatten the curve”. However, with infection rates surging again, research from Future Market Insights suggests that new contact tracing apps will be rolled out at a rate of 15% per year, driven by recurring waves of infections in many countries.

● In addition to public sector initiatives led by the health sector, the private sector is rolling out initiatives to support such efforts, most notably the Apple–Google Exposure Notification system, which some countries have even begun Use this system.

● The question that everyone is thinking about is how long it will take us to get back to some level of normalcy, and the desire to travel is one of the most common emotions across the Asia-Pacific region and globally.

● More and more countries are establishing travel bubbles and reciprocal green lanes to revive the tourism and hospitality industries. However, for these arrangements to be safe and efficient for all travellers, personal data needs to be shared across borders with the right security controls and transparent communication about how this data is processed and stored.

● Given the pressing need to move data between government agencies and businesses such as airlines, airports and hotels, debate over how this data is stored, accessed and used will continue into 2021, especially with individuals now sharing their personal data Awareness is greatly improved.

● This time, however, the sharing of medical data from rapid COVID-19 tests, combined with continued tracking and registration of all law-abiding citizens, not just individuals on government denial lists, will allow travelers to resume leisure travel think twice about the information they share.

　Prediction 2 For those well-prepared, the 5G era has begun, but what about 5G security?

● While 5G networks are already available in a few markets, the launch of the iPhone 12 will enable the first mass adoption of 5G devices.

● This will undoubtedly encourage more countries to accelerate the rollout of 5G networks, as telecom operators seek to deploy new services for consumers, and governments are tapping digital opportunities for economic recovery in 2021. However, it will still be a while before we experience the lower latency and soaring speeds promised by 5G.

● At the same time, enterprise adoption of private 5G networks is accelerating significantly. Deloitte forecasts that a third of the dedicated 5G market (measured in dollar spending) in 2020-2025 will come from ports, airports and similar logistics hubs, which are expected to be first movers.

● A recent survey by network systems, services and software company Ciena found that 31% of respondents from businesses in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan believe that 5G will have the greatest impact on enabling digital transformation and being able to support more digitization application.

　　Pitfalls to Avoid During 5G Rollout

● In Asia Pacific and Japan, the government is largely the driver of 5G deployment. For example, the Australian government has committed to invest nearly A$30 million to trial 5G technology in industries such as agriculture, mining and logistics, while hospitals in Bangkok are already using 5G to improve patient care and operational efficiency.

● However, the private sector is sure to take over the 5G race as governments grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery.

● This is an issue that more businesses must focus on in 2021. The sheer number of nodes that need to be installed makes the deployment of 5G networks more challenging, greatly increasing the potential network attack surface.

Private sector infrastructure owners cannot afford to deploy 5G networks using the same design and implementation methods as 4G, lest they fall victim to the same types of attacks in 3G and 4G.

　　Prediction 3 Work-from-home becomes smarter and more secure, with security capabilities extended to the network edge and simplified

● Amid sudden lockdowns and social distancing measures, businesses across the country are scrambling to roll out various measures to facilitate remote working. In just a few weeks, digital transformation has gone from a “tiring buzzword” to a “fit for survival” necessity.

● Many scenarios rely on traditional technologies, such as physical key fobs and digital keys, which were never designed for large numbers of employees to log in at the same time. Many of these options were also intended as short-term fixes or were too complex for employees with limited understanding of the cybersecurity impact.

● If 2020 has taught businesses one thing, it is that remote working is possible across the enterprise. With employees at the heart of everything, 2021 presents an opportunity for businesses to seek new ways to grow and integrate innovative approaches to delivering work to their employees.

　The value of cloud computing becomes less ethereal

● With the increasing adoption of cloud tools and virtualized desktops becoming an increasingly popular solution, we could see a decrease in the need for expensive devices with more computing power.

● Businesses can provide employees with simpler, connected devices that give employees online access to the programs and resources they need to deliver work directly to them—thus protecting the company’s most valuable assets.

● Disruptive design of the way employees connect eliminates the cybersecurity challenges associated with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)—or rather, bring your own computer (BYOC) policies that have become the norm—while enforcing network segmentation more efficiently.

● Then, the network edge needs to provide security capabilities, and solutions such as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) will become the new network security norm due to its flexibility, simplicity and visibility.

　　Prediction 4: A year of rebuilding internal order, rambling ideas will be eliminated as IT teams return to basics

● With the rapid migration of handy functions like email to the cloud, more work will be virtualized in 2021, forcing many enterprises to re-examine the security of their existing cloud environments.

● While cybersecurity controls remain an important part of cloud security, as enterprises continue to scale their cloud operations, an additional layer of identity and access management (IAM) governance is now required.

● This year, Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 researchers found that a single IAM misconfiguration could allow an attacker to compromise an entire cloud environment and bypass nearly all security controls.

● Overall, our findings suggest that these identity misconfigurations are pervasive across numerous cloud accounts, posing a significant security risk to businesses, potentially impacting an entire environment in less than a week, causing thousands of jobs load.

Get out of the misconfiguration

● As the COVID-19 pandemic guides IT teams from rambling ideas to more specific issues, 2021 will see more companies turn IT in-house, focus on getting the groundwork done, and refocus on what really matters, and even find A way to do the same thing for less.

● Doing so will likely see existing cybersecurity teams and roles redesigned to align with the overall focus, bring internal order, and create a more resilient cloud environment.

● In 2019, Bain & Company and Facebook estimated that by 2025, 310 million people in Southeast Asia will shop online. This milestone will be achieved by the end of 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Despite the complexity of hybrid multicloud environments, the speed at which enterprises (and indeed entire industries) move applications and data to the cloud means that a large part of this work must be automated.

● Security functions now need to run at cloud speed, and any business that is late in recognizing this in 2021 will have only multiplied security vulnerabilities.