CogX 2022: Cyber predictions for 2030
"Uncertainty is no excuse for failing to prepare"

As the world continues to open up, we have been thrilled to start attending in-person events again, listening to fascinating talks and meeting interesting people. One of these events was CogX – the world’s biggest and most inclusive Festival of AI, Blockchain, the Metaverse and all the latest Transformational Technologies.

One of the talks we joined explored cyber predictions for 2030, and a brilliant all-female line-up hosted the panel:

• Professor Victoria Baines, Visiting Research Fellow – Bournemouth University
• Becky Pinkard, Global Head of Cyber Defence – Vodafone
• Sian John, Senior Director of Microsoft Cybersecurity Business Development – Microsoft

Below we delve into a snapshot of their most enlightening insights and predictions.

Converging technologies, not cybersecurity in isolation

Cybersecurity is often looked at in isolation instead of through the lens of the connected world and emerging technologies. It is from within these wider technology trends that new threats arise – the merging of humans, tech and computing. Victoria believes this is particularly true in the intersection of technologies in a cyber-physical world, with AI and 5G accelerating the use of immersive environments.

Less internal, more external

The situation in Ukraine has shown that the gates are now open, and Sian believes we will see more nation-state attacks come to the fore. Organisations must look outside their walls towards the geopolitical issues in the world, as nation-state threats could have major implications for their data. The failure to get a handle on data, particularly personal data, will need to be rectified as we enter the era of the metaverse. Sian hoped that the bigger picture of our information-centric world and how we secure it will come into play.

Holistic response with pressure from regulators

The shift to cloud-based capabilities, new tech offerings, and becoming more software-driven present increased complexities. And these technological developments are working on a shaky foundation, accumulating “tech debt” and “security debt” with mounting interest. Becky stated that this cost will come back to bite businesses; saying they need to peel back the tech layers to find the security holes. If they don’t, the threat actors will.

At the same time, industries and countries will feel the escalating regulatory influence, making being a global business that can still handle specialist requirements increasingly difficult. Becky suggested businesses will have to be more innovative about handling data and working together, requiring holistic decision-making with specialist expertise.

Education, education, education

The key to the future is continuing to train children in schools from a young age. This means they grow up with an understanding of cybersecurity and, by the time they work full time, their understanding of the threat landscape is effectively innate. Victoria is keen that this training shouldn’t just be anti-grooming skills, but basic security – critical thinking, digital skills and personal data understanding.

As PRWeek’s Number 1 Tech Agency in the UK, we know that cybersecurity is one of the toughest and most competitive areas of B2B technology, but that detailed industry knowledge can give you an almost unfair advantage. Some of these cyber predictions may fail to come to fruition. Still, if working with some of the globe’s leading cybersecurity companies has taught us anything, it’s that future-gazing helps you stay one step ahead of the competition.

We are consistently working with our clients to navigate the impact of the trends that take shape, helping the brands that are transforming the world tell unforgettable stories. If you’d like to talk to us about how we can put our BETTER STORIES BIGGER IMPACT approach to work for you, get in touch!