Palo Alto Networks predicts that technologies will continue to be exposed to more cyber threats in 2023

• 5G connections are predicted to increase from 200 million at the end of 2021 to 430 million by 2025.
• Healthcare is a soft target for cyber threat actors due to the prevalence of legacy systems.

Cyber threats are becoming a serious menace to the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. One of the main causes of the rise in cyber threats in the region is the rapid adoption of new technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) — innovations that have given hackers newer ways to launch attacks.

The pandemic has also played a role in the rise of cyber threats in APAC. Due to the pandemic, many firms are now conducting their operations remotely, significantly increasing the use of digital tools and platforms. This has created new vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.

According to the latest “What’s Next in Cyber Survey” by Palo Alto Networks, an average of 11 cybersecurity incidents and data breaches were reported by almost all respondents. Only two out of five respondents claim that their board has become much more aware of the cyber risk due to rapid digitization across all segments.

Overall, the threat of cyberattacks in the APAC region is a growing concern, and businesses must take the necessary precautions to protect themselves. With the future of cybersecurity looking more disruptive than ever, expect to see more plot twists, turns and surprises in the industry.

Palo Alto Networks recently also released their 2023 APAC cybersecurity predictions, featuring the top five leadership-derived insights to help enterprises seek a more secure future. According to Sean Duca, vice president and regional chief security officer, Asia Pacific and Japan, Palo Alto Networks, business leaders will need to continually rethink their cybersecurity strategy due to the fluidity of today’s cyber threats.

“Leaders must consider innovative solutions, technologies, and approaches that outperform traditional mechanisms. Organizations have much to consider in 2023 but remaining vigilant and aware will empower them to defend against the evolving threats,” he continued.

Maintaining vigilance and awareness means integrating the broadest and most in-depth cyber skills and threat intelligence into their defenses to stay on top of the game. More importantly, leaders need to build resiliency to adapt to setbacks and bounce back.

Here are five key cybersecurity trends to watch out for in 2023:

An increase in 5G adoption will widen security loopholes

The industry association GSMA reported that 5G connections are predicted to increase from 200 million at the end of 2021 to 430 million by 2025 in APAC. Singtel has ambitions to extend standalone 5G connectivity to Singapore’s seaport by 2025, having already achieved 95% countrywide 5G coverage in Singapore, well ahead of the legal target of that year. While the cloud increases performance, agility, and scalability, it also exposes the 5G core to cloud security vulnerabilities. Large-scale attacks could originate from anywhere, including the operator’s network.

The importance of securing connected medical devices

New healthcare capabilities, such as remote diagnosis and virtual healthcare, are made possible by digitization. Healthcare is a soft target for cyber threat actors due to the prevalence of legacy systems and sensitive data that appeals to cybercriminals. A threat actor is more likely to weaponize a device the closer it is to a patient and the more likely it impacts patient safety. Patient safety will depend more than ever on the medical IoT’s cybersecurity.

Cloud supply chain attacks will disrupt businesses

Businesses that use cloud-native architectures inherently use third-party code in their critical applications. Log4J recently showed how many organizations can become instantly exposed to a dependent code hidden deep within the software packaging process. Attackers are also reportedly targeting the volunteers who maintain these open-source code frameworks to get access to organizations through the package update procedures. This problem pertains to the cloud supply chain, and in the upcoming year (s), there will be more disruptions due to trends in cloud adoption.

The debate on data sovereignty will get more heated

The number of laws and regulations enacted to protect individuals, manage government, and assure the ongoing availability of essential services will rise as the world becomes more dependent on data and digital information. As a result, in 2023, the debates on data localization and data sovereignty will probably get more heated.

Cybercriminals’ new playground will be the metaverse

With anticipated annual spending on virtual products of US$ 54 billion, the metaverse may provide new opportunities for cybercriminals. The immersive nature of the metaverse will open new possibilities for businesses and customers alike as it enables new connections between buyers and sellers. Companies will use mixed reality experiences to diversify their product lines and meet customer demands in the metaverse.

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