Threats Are Evolving
2024 made it clear that identity is the new perimeter. Phishing-resistant authentication, hardened SaaS configurations, and continuous monitoring of human and machine identities are now non-negotiable.
Where to Focus
- Roll out passkeys or FIDO2 for every workforce identity that touches sensitive systems.
- Inventory and govern machine identities with the same rigour as human accounts.
- Adopt a zero-trust posture for internal access; assume breach and validate continuously.
- Test your incident response plan with realistic tabletop exercises at least twice a year.
AI Cuts Both Ways
Attackers are using generative AI for highly convincing phishing and synthetic-voice fraud. Defenders are using it for log triage, alert summarisation, and detection engineering. The winners will be teams that integrate AI into existing workflows rather than chasing standalone tools.
The Boring Stuff Still Wins
Patch management, backup verification, and least-privilege access controls prevent more incidents than any single shiny product. Audit the basics every quarter.