2022 Cybersecurity Predictions from Lookout: Work From Anywhere Ends On-Premises Security

Lookout^[1], an endpoint-to-cloud
cyber security company, have put together their cyber security
predictions for 2022.

1 — Cloud connectivity and
cloud-to-cloud connectivity will amplify supply-chain
breaches

One area organizations need to continue to monitor in 2022 is
the software supply chain. We tend to think of cloud apps as
disparate islands used as destinations by endpoints and end-users
to collect and process data. The reality is that these apps
constantly communicate with different entities and systems like
software-update infrastructure and with each other — interactions
that are often not monitored.

In late 2020, the cybersecurity community uncovered one of the
worst breaches in recent memory when the SolarWinds^[2]
software-publishing infrastructure was infiltrated. More than 100
organizations, including nine U.S. federal agencies, were
compromised by trojanized updates that opened backdoors to their
infrastructure. This is a prime example of how a weak supply chain
can be used to amplify the attack by taking advantage of cloud
interconnectivity. Now that this attack vector was proven to be
successful, expect copycats to follow suit in 2022.

In addition to SolarWinds-type attacks, Lookout predicts threat
actors to look into exploiting another seldomly-monitored area:
cloud-to-cloud interaction. For example, it is very common for
organizations to use HR software to capture an employee’s personal
and financial information, which is then shared to a payroll
system. Once apps are connected to each other, seldom do
enterprises monitor these automated workflows for changes in
behavior. An attacker could exploit this implicit trust between
systems to siphon off sensitive data without anyone noticing.

2 — User error and account compromises
to become more pronounced

One of the major advantages of SaaS apps is the ease by which we
can collaborate with colleagues, customers and business partners.
Using apps like Workday, Salesforce, Slack, Google Workspace or
Microsoft 365, we can share content and collaborate with others
with very little friction.

But this interconnectivity also significantly amplifies the
impact of any user errors or attacks. Whether an employee
accidentally shares a document with the wrong person or a
compromised account extracts information, data now moves at
lightning speed. As we head into 2022, with hybrid and remote work
cemented as the new norm, Lookout expects this to become an even
bigger issue.

3 — Converging technologies to bring
threat hunting to a new level

One of the steps organizations need to take to tackle evolving
threats is to leverage threat hunting, also known as detection and response^[3]. The requirement for
this is quickly becoming recognized, including with the U.S.
government. I’m encouraged by the fact that the U.S. Office of Management and Budget^[4] (OBM) provided funding
guidance for federal agencies to adopt detection and response
capabilities.

To operationalize threat hunting in 2022, Lookout expects
organizations will look into integrated endpoint-to-cloud security
solutions that are cloud-delivered. With everyone working from
anywhere and using unmanaged devices and networks, there are an
unprecedented number of entities and communications for security
teams to track. When security technologies converge in the cloud,
organizations can take advantage of storage and computing power
that on-premises tools never had. Security teams can also leverage
security insights in a single place, enabling them to hunt for
threats or conduct forensic investigations proactively.

4 — DLP to become center of
cloud-delivered cybersecurity

Data loss prevention (DLP) has traditionally been deployed as a
standalone tool tethered to an enterprise’s perimeter data exchange
points. This isn’t how things work anymore. Data now flows freely
between clouds, endpoints and other entities — not just enterprise
managed, but also with partners and contractors. To regain control,
organizations need full visibility into how their data is handled
regardless of where the users are and what device and network
they’re using.

Lookout predicts that organizations will accelerate the move to
cloud-delivered solutions where data protection, inclusive of DLP
and enterprise digital rights management (E-DRM), are at the heart
of it. More and more enterprises will look for advanced DLP
capabilities such as exact data match (EDM) and optical character
recognition (OCR) to keep abreast of all the new workflows. Only by
tapping into the scalability and power of the cloud can security
solutions ensure that data is protected efficiently without
hindering productivity.

Is 2022 the beginning of the end for on-premises
security?

Nearly two years after most organizations were forced to
experiment with remote work, 2022 will be an inflection point for
both threats and cybersecurity solutions. With increased
interconnectivity comes heightened security gaps, such as software
supply chain vulnerabilities and data leakage. But this also means
an accelerated adoption of integrated, cloud-delivered security
solutions that enables proactive threat hunting and advanced data
protection.

On-premises security tools that are deployed in isolation are no
longer enough, even for on-premises workloads. To tackle the
ever-evolving challenges of a cloud-first world, organizations need
to invest in an integrated platform that can secure their data from
endpoint to cloud. Join Lookout on their upcoming webinar on
January 27th at 10 am GMT: 3 Steps to Protect Cloud Data in the Wake of
the Pfizer Data Leak^[5].

To learn more about how organizations should take advantage of
the convergence of security technologies, download a complimentary
copy of the “2021 Gartner Strategic Roadmap for
SASE Convergence^[6].”