Discover what the new cybersecurity predictions are for the upcoming year, ranging from artificial intelligence to AR/VR goggles.
2023 was a pivotal year for technological development, marked by the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). It’s no surprise that cybersecurity predictions for 2024 from major consulting and market analysis firms revolve around AI.
Panda Security, a part of the WatchGuard group, is here to present our cybersecurity and technology predictions for the upcoming year, based on data and trends observed by WatchGuard. In this post, we present 5 cybersecurity trends for 2024 to understand what challenges we’ll need to defend against and which technologies might come under attack. Keep reading!
1. Rise in AI-powered Chatbot Attacks
In 2024, we anticipate an increase in attacks on AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT or Bard. Hackers may attempt to manipulate prompts to extract sensitive information from datasets that AI programs may have missed or left unfiltered.
2. Automation and AI-driven Phishing Development
Cybercriminals are expected to leverage chatbots for phishing campaigns in 2024, creating more convincing messages. Additionally, chatbots like ChatGPT can be used by hackers to program malware, scripts, and automations, further resembling the operations of a legitimate service-oriented business.
3. Surge in Vishing Attacks
AI’s ability to recreate human images, faces, and voices will lead to an increase in vishing attacks based on deepfake technology. These attacks are more effective as they use real data, adapt to context and the victim, and exploit traditionally considered secure methods like voice or facial recognition.
4. Cybersecurity Workforce Crisis
Unfortunately, a challenging point is the projected crisis in the cybersecurity sector. Leading strategic consulting firms, including Gartner, forecast a need for more cybersecurity professionals while the workforce’s actual numbers decrease. This gap is influenced by factors such as costs, management difficulties, and a lack of strong corporate culture in certain business segments.
5. New Attacks Exploiting AR/VR Headsets and QR Codes
WatchGuard predicts a surge in attacks exploiting augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets, as well as QR codes, in 2024. These technologies have experienced rapid growth, reaching a point where expansion brings about increased security issues.
These are the top 5 predictions from WatchGuard and Panda Security for 2024. If they come to fruition, businesses and individuals will need to enhance their cybersecurity practices and become accustomed to employing various security layers, from multi-factor authentication to advanced mobile device protection, currently identified as a weak link in corporate security.
Continue reading for a cybersecurity-savvy start to 2024!