Challenges in Securing Critical IT Infrastructure in 2024

• Most enterprises’ critical infrastructures (CI), will integrate physical and virtual assets into the system, regardless of size, industry, or type
• As these critical assets are crucial for businesses to function, any disruption due to cyber threats can devastate business continuity.

An essential aspect of the IT infrastructure is to ensure successful operations within a complex functioning business ecosystem. In 2024, CISOs must design and enforce a proactive strategy to manage the cyber threats and risks within CI.

Moreover, due to the growing complexity of the threats, it has become a challenge for firms to secure their CI. As per a recent report by Cybersecurity Ventures, “2022 Official Cybercrime Report,” the global cybercrime damage costs will reach USD 10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from USD 3 trillion USD in 2015. This astonishing amount necessitates the growing need for cyber security to be treated as a strategic priority.

Also, the cybercrime industry is evolving, with the easy availability of Cybercrime-as-a-Service. This enables naive hackers to carry full-blown attacks on CI despite better security postures.

Here are a few challenges that firms might face when securing their CI.

1. Supply Chain Security

Securing the supply chain can be a complex and daunting task. This is because it needs endpoint network protection that serves unique purposes.

As per a recent report by Cycode,” The State of ASPM 2024,” 72% of security experts are concerned that their software supply chain is a blindspot.

Earlier, the supply chain network had various hardware components, software, and managed services from vendors. These components worked together to achieve the business goals.

However, there has been a rise in the adoption of a digital supply chain that is resilient, transparent, and agile. Due to this, firms must allow third-party vendors access to their business network for seamless operations. This becomes a significant challenge as the gaps in the business network can be exposed to hackers by the vendors due to lack of security measures.

In 2024, it is essential to identify all the potential cybersecurity attack surface areas and workflows that hackers can use as a security weakness and then move laterally into the network. This will help CISOs make necessary security posture changes to ensure resiliency.

2. Sophistication in the Cybercrime-as-a-Service Industry

Cybercrime firms are now imitating a legitimate business model, making it easy for hackers to accomplish an attack even on CI. Proficient cybercriminals, well-informed with new tech and sophisticated tools, have started offering cybercrime as a product or service to potential customers on the dark web. This has led to the commercialization of cybercrime activities is, known as Cybercrime-as-a-Service (CaaS).

Threat actors today have easy access to Phishing-as-a-Service and Ransomware-as-a-Service to infiltrate the business network and move laterally to gain access to the CI of the business network.

What’s more daunting is that CaaS enables anyone without skill or experience to execute cyber-attacks on businesses and individuals. CaaS offers a gamut of cybercrime services, which include-

• Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS)
• Phishing-as-a-Service (PaaS)
• DDoS-as-a-Service
• Malware Kits

In 2024, CaaS is going to boom, posing serious challenges. While firms cannot stop it at the source, a few measures can be taken like-

• Deploying layer security solutions like multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Revamping anti-virus software and digital devices
• Having a data backup strategy and tools
• Training employees

3. Lack of Required Skillsets and Resources

Do firms have enough cybersecurity skills to address the security challenges?  Firms need to keep CI security as one of their top priorities. However, the evolving threat landscape makes threat identification and mitigation challenging due to lack of resources and skill sets.

This also hinders the efficiency of public-private collaboration to enforce regulatory compliance and ensure network security.

As per a recent report by ISC2, “Cyber Workforce Study 2023,”

• The size of the global cybersecurity workforce is at 5.5 million — a 9% increase from 2022, the highest ever recorded.
• Conversely, the global workforce gap continues to grow even faster.
• The gap grew by 13% from 2022, which means that in 2023, roughly 4 million cybersecurity professionals will be needed worldwide.
• In the past year, the cybersecurity workforce has grown by 8.7%.
• The gap between the number of workers needed and the number available has also continued to grow, with a 12.6% increase year over year.

Another significant challenge in protecting the CI is the workforce. Many firms overlook the human aspect of security. Lack of human element can expose the entire business network to various risks that can create potential business disruptions.

ISC2’s report also states that-

• 67% of respondents reported that their organization has a cybersecurity staff shortage needed to prevent and troubleshoot security issues.
• 58% of cybersecurity professionals said that the negative impact of worker shortages could be mitigated by filling key skills gaps

In 2024, firms must create awareness of CI security to maintain a resilient cybersecurity posture and tech stack. The need for more professionals with the skills needed to protect firms from cyberattacks will continue to be a thing in the coming years.

Next year, firms must rectify this situation by offering a continued salary increase paid to those with the necessary skills. They must also invest more in training, development, and upskilling programs.

Also Read: Strategies to Secure IT Infrastructure from Ransomware Attacks Stemming from Third-Party Vendors

Conclusion

Protecting CI from threats is and will be an ongoing challenge due to the increased complexity of hybrid and distributed infrastructure models. In 2024, firms must enhance their security posture and resilience by understanding the ongoing issues in safeguarding CI and devising robust strategies.

Moreover, persistent risk assessments, strong access controls, network segmentation, and employee education will become vital components of a comprehensive security approach. By collectively addressing these challenges, firms can ensure the integrity and reliability of CI, promoting a safer and more secure cybersecurity posture.