Barracuda Networks surveyed more than 1,500 IT leaders and security professionals in North America, EMEA, and APAC about their IT security priorities, how those priorities have shifted, and where they’re headed next.

Overall, the study indicates that while the top security priorities have remained consistent over the past 15 years, the types of threats organizations are protecting against has shifted significantly. Looking ahead, respondents believe that the cloud will be a higher priority 15 years in the future and that AI will be both a threat and an important tool. Let’s take a closer look.

Consistent focus on email and network security

The IT professionals we surveyed identified email and networks as their top two priorities in both 2003 and 2018. A full 25 percent of respondents said email was their top security priority in 2003, and 23 percent said the same about their current priorities. Network security came in a close second for both 2003 and 2018 priorities, with 24 percent and 22 percent respectively.

Evolution of email-borne threats

Although what organizations care most about protecting has stayed consistent over the past 15 years, the threat landscape has changed dramatically. Respondents identified viruses (26%) and spam and worms (18%) as the top two threats they were concerned about in 2003. When asked about current concerns, ransomware (24%) and phishing/spear phishing (21%) topped the list.

This shift fits with how Barracuda’s approach to email security has developed over the years. Growing from the spam filter the company was founded on, Barracuda added critical capabilities to better fight much more targeted threats, such as spear phishing, phishing, zero-day malware, as well as secure data, and help with regulatory compliance. To keep up with changing threats and protect against phishing, spear phishing and other threats like account takeover and business email compromise, we were the first company to pioneer the use of artificial intelligence to stop spear phishing and detect account takeover, and we were the first company to add simulation and training to our email security portfolio.

Cloud security is a top priority for the future

While email and network security are currently a higher priority than cloud security for most of the IT professionals we surveyed, that order shifts when they look to the future. A full 25 percent said the cloud would be their most important security priority 15 years from now, outranking email, network, and data security, which were each selected by 14 percent of respondents.

This change has been gradual. Only 3 percent of respondents said cloud security was a top priority for them in 2003. That number when up to 14 percent when they were asked to rank their current security priorities. We don’t believe this shift means email protection will be less important to organizations in the future, simply that questions about how to secure the cloud loom large as IT professional try to predict the way their responsibilities will evolve over the next decade and a half.

AI: High hopes and big worries

Artificial intelligence is another technology that is top of mind for many of the IT professionals we spoke with—both as an opportunity to improve security and as a theat. It’s an interesting contrast.

A full 31 percent of respondents chose AI as the new technology that they will rely on to help improve security, and 43 percent identified the increasing use of artificial intelligence and machine learning as the development that will have the biggest impact on cyber security in the next 15 years. On the other hand, 41 percent believe the weaponization of AI will be the most prevalent attack tactic in the next 15 years. We share our customers’ concern about the weaponization of AI. Imagine how social engineering attacks will evolve when attackers are able to synthesize the voice, image, or video of an impersonated target.

Barracuda Networks has made significant investments in solutions powered by AI, such as Barracuda Sentinel, which provides AI-based protection from spear phishing, account takeover, and business email compromise. With strong investment in AI and a robust big data infrastructure across different products, Barracuda Networks plan to stay several steps ahead in the upcoming cybersecurity AI arms race.

BJ Jenkins, Barracuda’s CEO said: “At Barracuda, we feel it’s important to see where customers’ concerns and priorities are moving and getting there ahead of the need, so we can provide the solutions they’ll be looking for as threats get more sophisticated. We’ve come a long way over the past 15 years, and we’re looking forward to finding new ways to protect businesses. We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with our customers and channel partners, as well as introducing a refresh brand identity that reflects the way the company has evolved.”

The post Global Survey Reveals Coming Shift in Cyber Security Priorities appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

• Myanmar has made great progress in recent years, but faces political challenges to ensure stability
• Education and investment are keys to unlocking greater prosperity and deepening the nation’s project of development
• Suu Kyi: In hindsight, the situation in Rakhine State could have been handled better; accepts 100% of responsibility and reaffirms commitment to repatriation of displaced Rohingyas, and restoration of peace
• Suu Kyi defends the transparency of the court proceedings in recent sentencing of journalists

Ha Noi, Viet Nam, 13 September 2018 – Myanmar is committed to achieving peace and prosperity in coming years as it continues to develop, affirmed Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of Myanmar, at the World Economic Forum on ASEAN.

Adaptability and conviction have been key to the country’s achievements so far, stressed Suu Kyi. “Young people have changed, and also our civil servants,” she said. “I’m not just talking about corruption; it’s also about the fact that they feel more confident, and they feel they can take initiative much more.”

Education is a priority to continue this trend, she stressed. “It is through education that you teach the people to understand how to create peace and prosperity.” Education does not end after school,” she added, “but encompasses all efforts “to give the people an opportunity to learn more about what kind of role they can play.”

“Our young people are very creative and innovative,” Suu Kyi said, “in spite of the fact that we have had a very poor education system.” She invited entrepreneurs to invest in Myanmar’s young people and their business endeavours, for example, efforts to produce ethanol from the cocoa fruit.

Myanmar attracted $8 billion in foreign direct investment last year. Welcoming “more and better investments”, Suu Kyi emphasized that “we also accept that we have a responsibility to … attract more of the kind of investments we want,” especially in the fields of education and agriculture.

About 70% of the population of Myanmar still lives in rural areas; Suu Kyi highlighted Myanmar’s potential to play a leading role in global food security. “Food starts from the earth,” she said, and Myanmar – once known as the rice bowl of the world – is diversifying its agriculture.

Yet, there are thorny political challenges to negotiate in order to continue on the road of development to which her party, the National League for Democracy, is committed, acknowledged Suu Kyi.

On the role of the military, which holds 25% of Parliamentary seats by law, she reaffirmed that to have “25% unelected Parliamentarians is not in line with democratic values, and this has to change. All legislators should be elected freely by the people.”

Such a process would be negotiated and step-by-step, Suu Kyi said, in the interests of national reconciliation, and she reiterated that the National League for Democracy has never supported public demonstrations. “We have tried to do everything within the framework of the law, because we believe that rule of law is absolutely essential for the stability of our country and the security of our people.”

“Politics is politics,” Suu Kyi commented. “People seem to think that politics in opposition are different to politics in office. Unless you work with people, you cannot help a country to achieve sustainable development.”

On the topic of dislocation and violence in Rakhine State, Suu Kyi reaffirmed Myanmar’s commitment to the repatriation of displaced Rohingyas, and a restoration of peace. “Although we only have 75% of the Parliament,” she said, “we have to accept 100% of the responsibility.”

She emphasized that the rule of law must apply to all. “There are of course ways in which we, with hindsight, might think that the situation could have been handled better, but we believe that for the sake of long-term stability and security, we have to be fair to all sides.”

Suu Kyi also commented on the recent sentencing of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar to seven years in jail. She defended the transparency of the court proceedings, and invited observers to read the sentencing summary to point out any miscarriage of justice. “Due process allows them to appeal the sentence.”

“They were not jailed because they were journalists,” she said. “They were jailed because … the court has decided that they have broken the Official Secrets Act.”

Suu Kyi expressed her hope and conviction that her party will win the next elections, in 2020, in order to continue their programme of development in line with the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan released earlier this year. “We want to be part of the process of bringing the country out of poverty.”

“Peace and prosperity cannot be divided,” Suu Kyi closed. “These two go together.”

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).

The post Peace and Prosperity are Priorities for Myanmar, Says Suu Kyi appeared first on Core Sector Communique.