In 2023 CityWatch Security faced a number of issues including: vaping as a fire hazard and a risk to school safety; compromised camera systems due to unsecured, overseas based cloud storage and; the use of cameras in privacy-sensitive areas. Our team faced these issues head on, offering sophisticated yet user-friendly solutions (including a locally-based cloud system) to over 180 sites across Australia.

In this final week of 2023, we look toward 2024 and anticipate five challenges it will bring us;

1.    Remote Workforce: More and more employees are working from home or in hybrid roles. Remote work leads to access governance, threat detection and response protocols needing to work even harder, to account for remote anomalies. These include browser-based context and storage. With remote work cyber security risks can become more difficult to identify, with the added roadblock that employees may find themselves waiting for access so they can continue their work. 

2.    Mobile Device Security: The importance of mobile security and education within business has reached unprecedented levels. Mobile devices, either corporate owned or as part of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy, can present a vulnerable access point that is often-overlooked or discounted. It is crucial to implement effective security controls and provide comprehensive education to end-users regarding potential threats. As technology rises to meet contemporary challenges, the mobile era should introduce a new security paradigm designed to tackle existing threats.

3.    More Sophisticated Phishing: The utilisation of generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, allows online attackers to adopt more intelligent and personalised strategies. We expect to see a surge in the prevalence of things such as deepfake attacks, making it far more difficult to tell when an interaction is legitimate. Addressing this challenge will primarily involve fostering organisation-wide awareness and education. Additionally, the role of AI and implementation of a zero-trust approach are anticipated to play an increasingly significant role in the response to these threats.

4.    Less Than Zero Trust: Zero Trust is a concept that emphasises the need for continuous verification; it works on the basis that no activity can be assumed to be legitimate without a multifaceted verification system. In 2024, we expect Zero Trust interactions to evolve from a purely technical model to a more comprehensive approach, backed by continuous AI-powered real-time authentication and activity monitoring. At some point it will mitigate risks presented by remote workers and external organisations.
The logistics of Zero Trust will continue to change as systems grow in complexity.

5.    Posture Checks/Management: The cybersecurity equivalent of a medical for digital assets, digital asset collections, and entire businesses; Posture Management’s primary objective is to identify and address negative outcomes before they escalate into significant issues. A review of systems and controls safeguarding digital assets, can help ensure the optimal health and security of their digital infrastructure. This process generally starts with the discovery and inventory of these assets.

These challenges may be too much to think about with the holiday period coming up. But we would advise tackling them head on in the new year, as you resolve to secure your business, staff and assets.

Give us a call on 03 9250 4000. CityWatch’s HQ returns to the office on January 2^nd.