What ITSM Practitioners Need to Know About Cybersecurity Threats in 2021

Cybersecurity Threats in 2021

Your IT service management (ITSM) and security teams are significant components of your business’s operations. Moreover, we believe that ITSM operations will be at the center of future cybersecurity protection systems going forward. Traditionally, many businesses have preferred separating the ITSM departments from the business’s security team. The belief is that these two domains work best when they’re under different managerial elements. However, events in the last few years have shown that IT threats are evolving at an alarming rate. Consequently, a greater level of synchronization between the primary business teams is necessary. If you work in an ITSM role, then here are the main things you should know about cybersecurity threats in 2021.

If you work in an #ITSM role, then here are the main things you should know about #cybersecurity threats in 2021, says @JordanMacAvoy. Click To Tweet

The Threat Modeling Philosophy

Knowing your valuable IT and business assets is a crucial component of combating security threats. Hackers will only target useful items within your organization. Therefore, you can secure a few critical assets rather than sprinkling your security assets across the organization. You’ll also be able to look for threats in a specific touchpoint of the business. This process is called “the threat modeling philosophy” and this is a key defense against cybersecurity threats in 2021.

Threat modeling philosophy is expected to go mainstream in 2021 as security experts close all gaps within the small and medium businesses’ security process. The idea is to help organizations to have a better grasp of the cybersecurity threat landscape. It also allows companies to create priority lists of security purchases. Businesses can quickly evaluate their internal threats, and they’ll know what to purchase to combat those threats.

The Threat modeling philosophy is expected to go mainstream in 2021 as #security experts close all gaps within the small and medium businesses' security process. This artice explains more. Click To Tweet

Deployment of Artificial Intelligence Security Solutions

Remote working has gone mainstream with the global pandemic. Unfortunately, this exposes businesses to an increasing number of cyberattacks. It’s essential that ITSM personnel quickly and comprehensively respond to these threats. This includes identifying the users who are connected to their network at all times. This is a very tricky thing and something that human beings can’t do.

The solution is to implement artificial intelligence (AI)-based models as you address cybersecurity threats in 2021. AI models can analyze your employees’ activities to create a baseline. If they notice suspicious activities, they’ll alert your security and/or ITSM personnel. This makes it easier for IT personnel to identify cyber infiltrations in time.

Remote working exposes businesses to an increasing number of cyberattacks, and it's essential that #ITSM personnel quickly and comprehensively respond to these threats. #security Click To Tweet

Cybersecurity Threats: More Data Privacy Laws Are on the Way

A surprisingly high amount of data privacy bills were introduced in many countries in 2020. Most of these bills were put on hold as governments struggled to contain the pandemic. However, lawmakers are expected to come back to these bills in 2021. Consequently, ITSM personnel should be on the lookout for any changes in consumer data protection in the context of cybersecurity threats in 2021.

The majority of these bills are concerned with how companies harvest and utilize unique consumer information, such as biometric and facial identification features. For example, the Consumer Privacy Rights Act prohibits online enterprises from analyzing user information. This bill also addresses the issue of AI algorithms within a business’s decision-making infrastructure. Without understanding the impact of this new legislation, your business will find it challenging to collect and use consumer data without breaking the law.

#ITSM personnel should be on the lookout for any changes in consumer data protection in 2021. Here @JordanMacAvoy explains why. Click To Tweet

Automation-Based Risks

There’s no doubt that automation will dominate the IT space in the next decade. Unfortunately, hackers will also be using automation to create more advanced viruses, spyware, and ransomware. Your best response will be to automate your ITSM processes before you connect them to your security protocols.

The automation of ITSM protocols into the security apparatus will increase your business’s oversight capabilities. Moreover, it’ll ensure that the addition of ITSM to the security system will not compromise your IT infrastructure.

The automation of #ITSM protocols into the security apparatus will increase your business's oversight capabilities, says @JordanMacAvoy #infosec Click To Tweet

Service Catalogs and Cybersecurity Threats

It’s hard to see how service catalogs can help you to combat advanced security threats. However, it would help if you didn’t dismiss them yet because service catalogs can bring a new perspective to your security response. Your employees will be able to view the company’s assets and services from a superior platform. If they identify a suspicious service or asset, they will instantly alert the IT security. Therefore, service catalogs increase the response rate.

Service catalogs increase the collaboration between the security and IT service management teams. Such a partnership is necessary for the swift identification of any additional security threats.

Did you know that service catalogs can bring a new perspective to your #security response? @JordanMacAvoy explains in this article #ITSM Click To Tweet

The Bottom Line on Cybersecurity Threats in 2021

The cyber threats landscape is expected to change in 2021. As hackers discover new ways of compromising your business, ITSM personnel must be ready for any attack. In that light, you must be aware of the major ITSM cybersecurity trends for 2021. Similarly, you must educate your ITSM personnel on the benefits of collaborating with the cybersecurity team in identifying mutating cybersecurity threats in 2021 and beyond. This will likely save your business from an unexpected technology “shutdown” in the future.

Jordan MacAvoy
Vice President of Marketing at TalPoint

Jordan MacAvoy is the CEO and founder of TalPoint, the #1 marketplace that connects independent security, risk, privacy, and compliance experts with businesses in need. Prior to founding TalPoint, Jordan served as the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Reciprocity, a leading Information Security focused GRC SaaS solution. Before Reciprocity, Jordan served in executive roles at Fundbox, a Forbes Next Billion Dollar Company, and Intuit, via their acquisition of the SaaS marketing and communications solution, Demandforce. He brings to the team two decades experience helping businesses solve challenging problems through the adoption of novel and innovative solutions. Jordan is a graduate of Boston University.

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