As a cybersecurity leader, it is important to remain current and have a foundational understanding of technology. It is your responsibility to reduce risk within the organization you work for. To do this effectively, you need to understand the technology being used to help make informed decisions on securing that technology. As the digital world continues to evolve at such a fast pace, keeping up with technology isn’t the easiest of tasks. But this is a requirement to be more efficient in your role and you must keep yourself up to date. You may be asking yourself how this is possible. This can be accomplished through many channels such as conferences, communities, research and analyst companies like Gartner and Forester, meeting with your strategic suppliers regularly, user groups/forums, business social media channels like LinkedIn, and so on.

Increasing Reliance on Technology

Whether you believe it’s fortunate or unfortunate, we are living in a connected world where we have never been so reliant on technology that organizations would not be able to survive without. As our younger generations continue to grow, there is an increased demand for the use of technology in everything that we do in life. It’s a scary thought, but look how fast the world has grown within the previous 100 years compared to the overall history of humanity. Technology continues to push the boundaries of innovation, and a significant portion of that change must include the securing of this technology. This has been more evident over the previous 10 years and especially since the world has become a more connected place with the advancement of the internet.

According to the United States Census Bureau, as of the 18^th of May, 2024, there is an approximate world population of over 8 billion. Yes, the world population is now over 8 billion:

Figure 1.1: World population clock counter from the United States Census Bureau

Source: https://www.census.gov/popclock/

Let’s put things into perspective with the challenges of the increased digital footprint that we face as cybersecurity leaders in today’s world. A report published in January 2023, on the We Are Social Inc. website, The Digital 2023, shows the following statistics:

• There are an estimated 5.44 billion unique mobile phone users and 8.46 billion cellular mobile connections (not including IoT).
• There are an estimated 5.16 billion internet users.
• There are an estimated 4.76 billion active social media users.

Source: https://wearesocial.com/us/blog/2023/01/digital-2023/

To provide a clearer picture of how fast both information technology and cybersecurity have grown within the previous 20 years, the following chart shows the rapid growth of internet usage since the early 1990s. Although the need for technology and cybersecurity professionals was present before this time, you can clearly see from the chart below the impact and demand we are dealing with for increased resources in such a short amount of time.

Figure 1.2: Number of people using the internet

As we have become more connected throughout the world, traditional borders that separate countries no longer apply when it comes to technology and cybercrime. The laws of one country will not necessarily be applicable when cybercrime occurs from overseas across these different boundaries. This creates a very complex system for holding accountable those who engage in cybercrime and break the law within other countries.

As technology continues to evolve, transform, and innovate at a pace faster than ever before, it has never been more important to ensure that security is considered a core fundamental of this technology. We are not there yet, and we need to continue to push our vendors, technology companies, and ourselves to ensure that a security-first mindset is applied to everything we do with technology moving forward.

Digital Transformation

In recent years, there has been a lot of hype around digital transformation. This has many meanings depending on your organization and the functions within it. In short, at a broader level, digital transformation is the ability to digitally improve your business and/or processes through modern technology with the replacement of legacy systems and antiquated processes.

An example of this includes the shift from a legacy on-premises infrastructure to a modernized cloud-first strategy to support the evolving needs of big data, Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and more. As we take a look back over the previous couple of years, we tend to see hype rise and fall around certain technologies and innovations. For example, in 2021/22, the metaverse was the latest technology everyone was interested in. Shift forward a year and as of this publication, AI is the center of hype, more specifically generative AI, also known as GenAI. I’m sure you are all aware of generative AI by now, essentially the next generation of AI that can create new content such as text, images, audio, and video using data it has been provided to learn from. A few examples include ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot. Chapter 7, Cybersecurity Operations, will cover AI in more detail. We will continue to see these trends and it’s important as cybersecurity leaders that we keep close to these trends and continue to educate ourselves as this change continues to occur.

As we continue to digitize and modernize technology, improved security is needed. A simple example of this is the need for some form of endpoint protection tool. Traditionally, this has been an Anti-Virus (AV) signature-based tool that is capable of blocking already known threats through known signatures. Unfortunately, in today’s world, this type of endpoint protection is no longer appropriate on its own.

Today, the following at minimum needs to be implemented as a replacement for traditional AV signature-based capabilities:

• Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) that includes AV and threat protection
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
• Advanced analytics and behavioral monitoring
• Network protection
• Exploit protection

This is just a single example of a specific technology within cybersecurity that has become outdated and it’s important you focus on a defense-in-depth strategy using zero-trust principles, which we will cover in more detail in Chapter 5, Cybersecurity Architecture. This includes the need to fully understand the role AI is now playing within cybersecurity and the capabilities available. As cybersecurity leaders, we must keep current with the latest cybersecurity technology.

The Evolving Landscape of Cybersecurity

In addition to the ongoing digital transformation activities, there is also an expectation that we can work and access data from anywhere at any time. With the rapid increase of remote work during 2020 and 2021, this model and expectation have been fast-tracked because of COVID. Although many companies are reversing the remote work model and requiring employees to report back to the office, many are resisting and have an expectation of continuing to work remotely, or at least have the flexibility. With this model comes a much larger responsibility from a cybersecurity perspective. As our infrastructure continues to be modernized and shifted to the cloud, so do the cybersecurity requirements. The focus is no longer primarily the network, protecting our data center and devices within a building, but that of the user’s identity and, more importantly, the data. Financial gain is the primary motivator for threat actors, and data is the underlying driver for that financial gain. Because of this, it is imperative we provide relevant training and awareness for our users as the technologies evolve and the threat vectors change.

As already stated, attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated every day. There is an ever-growing army of threat actors working around the clock trying to exfiltrate any data they can get their hands on because the cost of private data is very expensive. There has also been a shift in the way bad actors are threatening organizations by looking for weakness in the supply chain and holding companies at ransom. With the advancement of cloud technology, supercomputers, and the reality of quantum computing coming to light, hackers and organized groups now have access to much more powerful systems and are easily able to crack passwords and their hashes much easier, making them obsolete as the only factor of authentication.

No one should be using just passwords anymore; however, the reality is, most still are. The same applies to encryption. The advancement of computers is making algorithms insecure with the ongoing need for stronger encryption. These are just some of the ongoing challenges we are faced with in today’s evolving digital world when protecting our assets.

Over the years, cybersecurity has evolved from being a shared role or a role that was non-existent within many companies. Today, well-defined teams and organizational structures exist or are being created to focus solely on cybersecurity. Not only are these teams maturing constantly, but the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) has become a person of significant importance and in some instances may report directly to a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) instead of the Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), or another C-level below the CEO. In addition, we are also observing the CISO being invited to the Board of Directors (BoD) quarterly meetings, essentially getting a seat at the table.

Before we move on to the next topic, one additional matter within the digital world that needs mentioning is shadow IT. In short, shadow IT is the setup and use of technology without IT or the security team’s approval or knowledge, for example, in a business function like Human Resources (HR) or finance. This obviously creates a significant security challenge as technology is being deployed with no standards or best practices in place. This can be a challenge to manage, but it will need to be addressed as part of your role, especially as digital transformation continues to occur across the entire business at a very fast pace.

Now that we have covered the evolving digital world, the next section will take us through the current threat landscape and what to expect in terms of current threats.

The threat landscape within the cybersecurity world is extremely diverse and is continually becoming more complex. The task of protecting users, data, and systems is becoming more difficult and requires the progression of even more intelligent tools to keep threat actors out.

Common Cyber Threat Actors

Today, cyber criminals are more sophisticated, and large groups have formed with significant financial backing to support the harmful activities of these groups. The following are common threat actors:

• National governments
• Nation-states
• Terrorists
• Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups
• Cyber mercenaries
• Cyber arms dealers
• Cyber extortionists
• Spies
• Organized crime groups
• Hacktivists
• Hackers
• Business competitors
• Malicious insiders/internal employees
• Essentially anyone who has some malicious intentions with the use of technology

In addition, with the recent rise of GenAI, ChatGPT has transformed the field of cybersecurity in a very short amount of time. Previously, only highly skilled attackers were able to breach organizations. But with ChatGPT, even less skilled hackers can succeed by using AI in their operations. It’s now difficult to judge an attacker’s true level of skill during a sophisticated attack.

Types of Cyberattacks

There are many types of cyberattacks in the world today, and this creates a diverse set of challenges for organizations, especially cybersecurity leaders. One of the most common attack methods used today is that of malware. Malware is software or code designed with malicious intent that exploits vulnerabilities found within the system. The following types of threats are considered malware:

• Adware
• Spyware
• Virus (polymorphic, multipartite, macro, or boot sector)
• Worm
• Trojan
• Rootkit
• Bots/botnets
• Ransomware
• Logic bomb

Ransomware in More Detail

With the prevalence of ransomware and the extreme damage it can inflict on an organization, let’s review this type of cyberattack in more detail. Ransomware has been around for a long time and the first documented incident occurred in 1989, known as PC Cyborg or the AIDS Trojan. In short, a ransomware attack is where an intruder encrypts data belonging to a user or organization, making it inaccessible. For the user or organization to gain access back to their data, they are held to a ransom in exchange for the decryption keys. The intruders will use many tactics to try and force payment, including threats to leak the data, list the data for sale on the dark web, and erase the backups, to name a few.

As the ransomware business continues to evolve, we are hearing that very mature business models have been put in place to support their efforts to hold organizations to ransom. There is even a ransomware-as-a-service model that allows hackers to subscribe and use the service to commit their own attacks. The latest tactic used by ransomware criminals is double extortion – essentially, exfiltrating the data in addition to encrypting it. This provides additional bargaining power for the threat actors and creates a lot more risk for organizations to handle. Unfortunately, there have been countless ransomware attacks to date that have made the news and they continue to occur often.

A couple of the more notable ransomware attacks include that against Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest fuel pipelines in the United States, and MGM Resorts, a global entertainment company. Both companies suffered a major impact: Colonial Pipeline was forced to shut down its fuel distribution operations, causing gas shortages for consumers throughout the East Coast of the United States. MGM Resorts encountered major operational challenges for many days and an estimated loss of approximately $100 million.

Other Types of Attacks

In addition to malware, the following table shows other types of attack techniques that can be used to exploit vulnerabilities and that you should be familiar with:

Supply Chain Challenges

Another attack becoming more common is that against the supply chain, where the threat actors look to compromise a vendor’s software or application, which in turn will compromise all its downstream customers. A couple of the more notable include the attack against SolarWinds, a monitoring and performance management tool, and Progress, a company with many solutions including that of MOVEit, a managed file transfer solution. With SolarWinds, threat actors implanted malicious code into their software, which was received by thousands of customers. Once installed, hackers were provided with the ability to infiltrate customer networks. With MOVEit, threat actors took advantage of a zero-day exploit that allowed them to exfiltrate the sensitive data of many companies, the damage of which would continue for many months. In addition to supply chain challenges, there is the need for improved third-party risk management as we need to hold our third parties to a higher level of standard with cybersecurity. Third parties continue to become compromised, potentially putting our data at greater risk and/or impacting the services being provided to us. We will be covering third-party risk in more detail in Chapter 10, Vendor Risk Management.

Impact on Organizations

Even more concerning is the case of organizations permanently closing their doors because of a cybersecurity incident. The cybersecurity incident alone may not be the sole reason for the closure of an organization, but it adds an extreme operational and financial burden that an already struggling organization may not be able to recover. Some notable examples recently include that of St. Margaret’s Health hospital located in Spring Valley, Illinois.

Although other factors were to blame, a ransomware attack in 2021 that significantly impacted operations was specifically noted. Lincoln College in Illinois is another unfortunate example of the impact of a cyber attack. An institution that was able to survive 157 years finally shut its doors in May 2022. The coronavirus pandemic and a ransomware event were both publicly noted as major events forcing the college to permanently close.

Figure 1.3: A snippet from Lincon College’s home page taken October 2023

Source: https://lincolncollege.edu

Another unfortunate example is that of KNP Logistics Group, a UK-based logistics firm that went into administration in September 2023. Along with other challenges mentioned was a ransomware attack that significantly impaired the operations of the firm and the ability to secure the investments needed to continue.

Special Considerations for OT and IoT

Although not applicable to most industries, other challenges that need to be addressed involve continuing to increase the protection of Operational Technology (OT) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Managing and securing these technologies efficiently requires a different set of skills. The ability of threat actors to compromise power plants, manufacturing plants, water treatment facilities, internet-connected cars, and more poses a major risk. These types of attacks go beyond the impact of data exfiltration and financial loss; they have the ability to cause significant harm to people. Examples include the ability of a threat actor to take control of systems that could bring down a power plant supplying power to an entire city, take over a power plant and control machinery, or modify the chemicals within a water treatment facility.

These risks cannot be taken lightly, and it is critical that organizations are aware of these risks and ensure cybersecurity is a priority.

Emerging Threats – AI and Beyond

Being a cybersecurity leader requires the ability to be dynamic and up to date as emerging threats continue to evolve at a very fast pace. We need to understand what risk they pose and how to reduce this risk. The most recent emerging threat is that of AI as it becomes more accessible to everyone. Although there are many benefits from using AI, it is already coming with a lot of challenges from a cybersecurity perspective as it is being used to advance cyber threat actors’ malicious intents. Unfortunately, AI is already being used to create more advanced attack methods, speed up the ability to create new malware at a rapid pace, impersonate others using deepfake capabilities, and develop and initiate advanced email types of attacks such as sophisticated phishing campaigns with fewer signals (reduced spelling mistakes, more realistic conversation, catered to company culture, etc.). As AI and other technologies continue to evolve, so do our defense mechanisms.

Now that we have covered the current threat landscape, let’s move on to the next section, which provides statistics around the reality of what we are dealing with.