Offensive Security, Cyber Insurance & Cryptocurrencies: 2018 Predictions

Cybersecurity, or rather the lack thereof, dominated headlines throughout 2017. This isn’t likely to change in 2018, with GDPR just around the corner.

Charl van der Walt, Chief Security Strategy Officer at the UK’s largest independent cyber security company SecureData, shares his thoughts on the key trends that will impact cybersecurity next year.

Businesses are living on borrowed cyber time

The 2007 financial crisis brought to light just how interconnected today’s economy really is. All areas of business were affected, with exposure to debt being shared. The cybersecurity industry is no different. Security ‘debt’ is a liability or obligation to pay or render something. Technical Debt is already a well understood concept in software development, the cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of using a better approach that would take longer or cost more. 

This translates well into security; not as the potential downside resulting from a decision to compromise, but as the direct, concrete, real-time and quantifiable cost of a trade-off between the best possible approach to securing something and the more attractive, practical, convenient or affordable approach. 

Security debt, can be compared to, monetary debt. If debt is not repaid, it can accumulate ‘interest’ and grows over time until it is repaid. It sits on a business’ balance sheet in big red letters for all the world to see, speaking to the very heart of the business, its value. If business have more liabilities in the form of security and other debt than it has assets, then you’re bankrupt and eventually you must fail.

In 2018 we may see the damaging effects of Security Debt that has been stacking up in the form of legacy code, 3rd party libraries and dependencies, and even architectures used by companies. This has been building up for the past 30 years, and may be catastrophic if the right set of circumstances come to pass. Companies have been living on borrowed security for too long, and 2018 may the year when those debts get collected.

Offense is the best defence

Governments globally have been reading up on von Clausewitz, Thucydides and Patton, before settling on Sun Tzu’s teachings to inform next-generation cyber capabilities and techniques that support national and international interests. 
As a result, we’ll see a rise in offensive cyber security with ability and budget beyond civilian imagination. Eventually, these techniques will find their way into the civilian internet, where they will wreak havoc, think Stuxnet and WannaCry, but on steroids. As the threat level escalates behind the weight of massive government investment, an industry-led clarion will herald a call for governments to protect a civilian Internet that cannot be expected to defend itself against military-grade threats. 
Throughout 2018 and beyond, business will accept and expect that their governments will take responsibility for national infrastructure defence, and policing in the cyber realm will become an extension of your Bobbies on the beat.

Cyber insurance becomes big business

GDPR fines come into play next year, and business is still running around in a mad panic. Nobody wants to be fined an inordinate amount of money for a data breach. This has led to a business area blossoming out of recognition that Government can only do so much when it comes to protecting business. Cyber insurance policies will come to the fore, and businesses will lap them up in an effort to plug the residual risk. The approach promises to remove uncertainty and angst from the issue of information security. 

Unfortunately, this will mean that businesses of all sizes will seek out the minimum cyber security investment laid out by insurers, government, and regulators, rather than going above and beyond to protect their own, and their customers’ data.

Cryptocurrency will get regulated

With new technologies there is often a fear of what is not understood. As cybercrime evolves, and hackers find new ways of monetising pre-existing attack methods, suddenly we see cryptocurrency and ransomware uttered in the same breath. In 2018, we might see governments the world over adopting cryptocurrency, and therefore regulating it in order to stem the flow of cryptocurrency-driven cybercrime. This will undoubtedly be a regulatory challenge, but to ensure a safer online ecosystem for business and consumers alike, it will be one that needs to be addressed.

It’s the beginnings of a cyber bloc party

As governments battle it out in cyberspace, the question of cyber balkanisation rears its head. In 2018, we will see an escalation of the drama around Kaspersky and the US government. 

The long-term implication of this could be game-changing. As governments globally take America’s lead and start rejecting security software, and then sensitive apps and entire operating systems on the grounds of National Security, we will inevitably see cyber balkanisation levels not seen since the Cold War. 

Smaller countries that don’t have their own security vendors, or can’t afford to build their own OS stacks will be forced to align with one major power or another, creating new blocs that will spell out the state of play sooner than we realise. How this will impact enterprise security is unknown, but we won’t be able to rule it out as an area for concern.

Information Security Buzz

You Might Also Read:

Cyber Security Insurance:

Bitcoin: UK And EU Will Crackdown On Crime & Tax Evasion:

Three Cybersecurity Trends Business Should Address:

Ransomware Analysis Suggests A  Bleak Future:
 

« UK Cybersecurity Firm Sophos Is Trouncing Silicon Valley
Iran Turns Off The Internet »

Infosecurity Europe
CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North IT (North Infosec Testing) are an award-winning provider of web, software, and application penetration testing.

BackupVault

BackupVault

BackupVault is a leading provider of automatic cloud backup and critical data protection against ransomware, insider attacks and hackers for businesses and organisations worldwide.

Infosecurity Europe, 3-5 June 2025, ExCel London

Infosecurity Europe, 3-5 June 2025, ExCel London

This year, Infosecurity Europe marks 30 years of bringing the global cybersecurity community together to further our joint mission of Building a Safer Cyber World.

IT Governance

IT Governance

IT Governance is a leading global provider of information security solutions. Download our free guide and find out how ISO 27001 can help protect your organisation's information.

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO is the market leader in HPE Non-Stop Security, Risk Management and Compliance.

Skurio

Skurio

Skurio create cost-effective, intuitive and powerful Cloud based solutions to identify threats, detect data breaches outside the network and automate the response.

Avansic

Avansic

Avansic is a leading provider of e-discovery and digital forensics services to attorneys, litigation support teams, and business communities.

Ubiq Security

Ubiq Security

Ubiq has developed a software solution that secures any type of data, on any device, anywhere, with nearly no impact to system performance or user experience.

SaferVPN

SaferVPN

SaferVPN is a Virtual Private Network services provider offering secure encrypted access to the internet.

ENAC

ENAC

ENAC is the national accreditation body for Spain. The directory of members provides details of organisations offering certification services for ISO 27001.

Navaio IT Security

Navaio IT Security

Navaio helps clients with IT Security related challenges with a primary focus on Identity and Access Management, Data Governance, User Awareness and Cyber Resilience Services.

Pentera Security

Pentera Security

Pentera (formerly Pcysys) is focused on the inside threat. Our automated penetration-testing platform mimics the hacker's attack - automating the discovery of vulnerabilities.

Cyber Talents

Cyber Talents

CyberTalents is on a mission to close the gap of cyber security professionals shortage across the globe.

ShorePoint

ShorePoint

ShorePoint is an elite cybersecurity firm dedicated to improving the cyber resilience of Federal agencies and their missions.

Kasada

Kasada

Kasada has developed a radical approach to defeating automated cyberthreats based on its unmatched understanding of the human minds behind them.

OwnBackup

OwnBackup

OwnBackup proactively prevents you from losing mission-critical data and metadata with automated backups and rapid, stress-free recovery.

Digital Silence

Digital Silence

Digital Silence is a world-class provider of information security research and consulting services.

Herzing College

Herzing College

Herzing College Ottawa offers an accelerated 12-month Cybersecurity Specialist training program. This program is developed by industry experts and based on leading IT security certifications.

Fletch

Fletch

Fletch’s AI tracks the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape by reading and interpreting every threat article every day and matching those threats to a company’s exposure.

Cipher Net Shield

Cipher Net Shield

Cipher Net Shield specializes in secure E-wallet solutions with a strong focus on blockchain and cybersecurity, prioritizing both transaction security and the recovery of lost capital.

Velstadt Cybersecurity

Velstadt Cybersecurity

Velstadt's team of experienced professionals works on identifying vulnerabilities, analyzing threats, and developing strategies to ensure the highest level of security.