Cybersecurity trends to focus on in 2021

Andrew Gibson, STANLEY Security

Security must go further than VPNs

The security a VPN offers is a great first step in implementing a long-term remote work structure. But, success with VPNs depends upon available network capacity and users following proper security policies. As we look toward 2021 and the continuance of remote work, businesses will have to prioritize network capacity and enforce policies requiring employees to properly secure company devices while in use.

Network access control systems will protect network health

For years, cybersecurity has been and will continue to remain top of mind for businesses. However, in the past, businesses assumed that only the network’s edge needed to be protected and that meant everything inside of it was also covered. Fast forward to today, for small-to-mid-sized companies, with the increase of cloud-based services and mobile workforces, the edge has become blurred. In 2021, a new perimeter will emerge — the employee. This means there will be a much wider area to protect. Businesses will have to deploy Network Access Control solutions to protect the entire network or risk increased cyber attacks.

Companies must control IoT use

When IoT was first introduced, manufacturers created an abundance of solutions — and were quickly sought after by companies. However, they never addressed how the devices would interact with networks. The global IoT market is only expected to grow in the next 10 years and as we look toward 2021, companies must find ways to intelligently control devices on their networks with strict guidelines around device governance to eliminate potential threats.

Data privacy is more important than ever before

Over the past few years, there has been a tremendous amount of new technology to hit the security market. While this is a positive step for innovation, these technologies produce copious amounts of data — leaving companies exposed to numerous cybersecurity threats. In partnership with security teams, technology operating as middleware can help solve some of these issues to manage interactions and protect transferred data.

Andrew Gibson is a Solutions Engineering Consultant at STANLEY Security.