4 TECHNOLOGICAL SUCCESSES IN CYBERSECURITY
The digital revolution has made things possible that were previously unknown to the human imagination. There is no doubt that technology has improved the quality of human lives by boosting productivity, efficiency, and convenience. The internet has significantly altered the ways humans communicate and interact with each other. What was once impossible is now simply a click away.
However, as the world saw progress in technology and innovation, it would not be an exaggeration to argue that cybersecurity became an ever-pressing issue. Newer technology means newer ways for hackers and malicious individuals to exploit others, thereby presenting a greater danger to businesses and society. However, technological innovations continue to solve this digital insecurity and help protect our data and sensitive information. Here are four technological successes that have improved cybersecurity:
- Rise of Cloud Computing
Data storage on the cloud has created some controversies in the past. While the technology itself is up-and-coming and has seen rapid adoption by institutions, it goes without saying that it is not far from perfect. Cases of information leaks have been common in the past, especially with big companies such as Apple, which has heavily invested in their cloud service known as iCloud. Hackers gaining access to sensitive data stored on the cloud caused a lot of backlash for Apple in the past.
Regardless, cloud computing has made significant leaps since then, especially when it comes to data security. At its heart, cloud computing solves storage problems that were previously common in the tech industry. Suppose one wishes to educate themselves further in this area. In that case, we recommend an online cyber security masters degree that can help to step into this digital world further. Businesses from all industries actively adopt cloud computing solutions for their data storage needs simply because it is inexpensive, more convenient, and offers more security than conventional forms of data storage. Like all technologies, cloud computing was vulnerable when it was new.
But over the years, especially after several data breaches and cyberattacks, companies have invested heavily in securing the data stored on their cloud servers. A single breach can cause millions of dollars in losses; hence, companies have taken their data security seriously. Therefore, it is now challenging for an average joe to hack into cloud servers and cause a data breach.
- Blockchain Technology And Its Real-World Applications
Blockchain is hell-bent on changing the world through its technology. It is more than just a buzzword floated around in crypto communities. Blockchain technology is what gives Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies their real-world value. That value gets derived from the security apparatus behind this technology. Blockchain is similar to a digital ledger that allows secure exchange of information and identity verification. Every transaction that occurs on the blockchain network is recorded and verified by all nodes.
It essentially means that an individual or a group cannot temper the information for malicious reasons. To do so, they would have to gain more than 50% access to the entire network. And due to its decentralized nature, gaining that access is extremely difficult, thereby making the technology secure and promising for its real-world application. Conventional banking transactions prone to cybercrime, blockchain technology provides protection and anonymity, making it appealing for individuals.
- Securing Internet-of-Things
In theory, connected appliances, applications, and processes can give a significant productivity boost to one’s personal and business lives. But anything that gets connected to the internet is always vulnerable to cyberattacks and hackers. Cloud storage plays an integral role in IoT. Cloud storage makes data storage and information transfers possible between connected devices. Without cloud storage, each device would require a dedicated storage device. Therefore, Cloud storage makes IoT possible. However, as argued earlier, cloud computing is also prone to cyberattacks. Hence, the risk is carried forward to IoT since cybercriminals can find a gateway to exploit due to a typical security apparatus.
Nevertheless, there are several ways to protect oneself from the exploitation of malicious individuals. Securing a network through quality anti-virus software is the first wall of defense that can save one from several cyberattacks. Even with a secure infrastructure in place, there is no alternative for strong login credentials. Compromised login credentials are the easiest way hackers gain access to one’s servers. Therefore, creating a habit to update one’s login credentials with strong passwords consistently can reduce the probability of being exposed to a malicious attack.
- Power of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
AI and machine learning are already set towards changing the global landscape of technology. With new possible uses and improvements in existing infrastructure taking place due to AI, the realm of cybersecurity is also drastically getting improved. Critical service of AI and Machine learning can be witnessed in its potential to secure Cloud networks and IoT. Machine learning can be helpful to “keep up with malicious individuals” by automating the detection of threats. AI has been known to respond more efficiently to threats as compared to traditional software. AI can detect a pattern of vulnerability through analyzing data and suggest/implement measures to tackle them automatically. AI can provide a unison of human-led partnerships with machine learning that help push boundaries of knowledge and drive cybersecurity in ways more significant than before.
Final Words
Cybersecurity is still a relatively new phenomenon with which institutions and governments are still struggling. Some countries have been able to create regulatory bodies around the realm of cybersecurity. However, still, a large part of the world continues to take it lightly. There is still a lot of room for research and development but needless to say, cybersecurity will become a pressing concern as the world continues to digitize in the coming years.
