Cyber threats continue to evolve at an unprecedented rate, leaving corporate networks vulnerable. A lower barrier entry for cybercrime has contributed to a significant hike in the volume of cyberattacks, with the UK government estimating that businesses experienced approximately 7.78 million cybercrimes in 2023-2024.
Unfortunately, we can’t control externalities, but what businesses are in control of is their IT infrastructure. Network complexity continues to be a major facilitator of cybercrime but with the advent of AI, vulnerabilities have never been easier to identify. To withstand this new wave of cybercrime, Zero Trust technologies and strategies are integral to the defence of corporate networks. Simplifying complex IT infrastructures and helping navigate security challenges, here are four cyber threats of the future that can be contained by Zero Trust.
AI-powered cybercrime
Widely considered as the biggest cyber threat of the future, AI and ML-powered cybercrime represents a more advanced iteration of traditional cybercrime. Harnessing the power of complex algorithms, cybercriminals can launch sustained attacks at a faster rate and on a wider scale without the need for human intervention. Not only capable of automating cybercrime, AI removes the technical barrier as hackers don’t need years of coding experience to get up to speed.
With IT infrastructures at even greater risk, Zero Trust helps businesses safeguard against the threat of AI-powered cybercrime. Assuming that no user or device can be fully trusted, Zero Trust uses algorithms to constantly monitor all activity across expansive corporate networks, with AI-powered technology just as capable of identifying network anomalies as proliferating cybercrime. The strategies and technologies of Zero Trust further reinforces network security by introducing a three-tiered verification process for users to identify, authenticate, and authorise their credentials before access can be granted, making life more difficult for cybercriminals
Supply chain attacks
When it comes to building future-proof corporate networks, it’s best to remember that you are only as strong as your weakest link. Vulnerabilities are one of the biggest causes of a successful breach, so there can be no room for inconsistency across your IT infrastructure, especially when it comes to third-party hardware and software. Adopting vendor technologies is a double-edged sword as on the one hand, it drives operational efficiency, but on the other it leaves organisations vulnerable to supply chain attacks, with hackers gaining access to the primary target’s system by proxy of a hardware manufacturer or software vendor.
Supply chain attacks will continue to be a severe cyber threat in the future, but one that can be nullified. Never trust, always verify is at the heart of Zero Trust, with rigorous vendor risk management prefacing any commitment to outsourcing. With external vendors adhering to the same strict cybersecurity standards as your company, the risk of vulnerabilities is significantly reduced.
IoT and cloud attack
Whilst the adoption of IoT and cloud technologies will help improve data storage and processing capabilities, it also leaves companies in a precarious position. Cybercriminals will always exploit the path of least resistance when attempting to breach a corporate network, so if there are misconfigurations in your cloud environments or IoT stack, it’s a huge security risk.
Zero Trust works to secure IoT and cloud assets by initiating network segmentation, a strategy where cloud environments and IoT devices are isolated from other areas of the network. Not only does this mitigate the threat of lateral movement, but it also helps reduce network complexity, making infrastructure management easier. IoT devices like smart access systems collect data from the source and represent an entry point that cybercriminals can exploit. To caveat this vulnerability, Zero Trust enforces endpoint security, meaning IoT devices are subject to rigorous validation before connecting to the network.
Zero-day exploits
If security gaps and vulnerabilities happen to slip through the net, it can cause untold damage for your organisation. A cyber threat that no company wants to encounter in the future, zero-day exploits refer to unpatched network vulnerabilities that are unaccounted for. This is like gold dust to a hacker and can result in the deployment of malware and disruption of operations.
Because it is a proactive and not a reactive strategy, Zero Trust reduces the impact of zero-day exploits by enforcing least privilege access, an internal policy where users and devices are only granted access based on their assigned hierarchical role, minimising the risk of exposure. Continuous monitoring and network scanning are also built into Zero Trust, helping network security teams identify and patch vulnerabilities before cybercriminals can exploit them.
Stay ahead of the cybercrime evolution
In the current landscape, cybercrime is being committed on a scale we’ve never seen before. Due to the presence of cyber threats, it may appear that strengthening cybersecurity posture is a futile endeavour, but by adopting Zero Trust technologies and strategies, we can apply proactive security measures to protect corporate networks.
Cybercrime is never in a fixed state, and so organisations must stay one step ahead and be equipped with the best-in-class solutions. But as cybercrime continues to evolve, it is your responsibility to make the necessary changes to your corporate network to defend against future-based threats, however they may appear.