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Gartner Identifies Four Myths Obscuring Cybersecurity’s Full Value

There are common myths that speculate the value of cybersecurity in the enterprise level, which inhibits security program effectiveness, according to Gartner, Inc. “Many CISOs are burnt out and feel they have little control over their stressors or work-life balance,” said Henrique Teixeira, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner. “Cybersecurity leaders and their teams are putting in the maximum effort, but it’s not having maximum impact.” To combat this, a “minimum effective” mindset is suggested. “A Minimum Effective mindset is a deliberate, ROI-driven approach to leading cybersecurity into the future,” added Leigh McMullen, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner. “While the idea of ‘minimum’ may seem uncomfortable, it refers to the inputs, not the outcomes. This approach will enable cybersecurity functions to go beyond merely ‘defending the fort’ to unlocking their true potential to create tangible value.” In the opening keynote of the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit, Teixeira and McMullen debunked four common security myths and explained how security leaders can create new value across business engagement, technology and talent. They are:

Myth #1: More Data Equals Better Protection
“It’s commonly believed that the best way to drive action from executive decision makers on cybersecurity initiatives is through sophisticated data analysis, such as calculating the likelihood of a cyber event occurring. This approach does not deliver shared accountability between cybersecurity and enterprise decision makers necessary for materially reducing business risk. Gartner research has found that just one-third of CISOs report success driving action through cyber risk quantification. CISOs should use an outcome-driven metrics (ODM) approach to action Minimum Effective Insight. ODMs link security and risk operational metrics to the business outcomes they support by explaining the levels of protection currently in place and the alternative protection levels available based on spend.”

Myth #2: More Technology Equals Better Protection
“Worldwide spending on information security and risk management products and services is forecast to grow 12.7% to reach $189.8 billion in 2023. Yet even as organizations spend more on cybersecurity tools and technologies, security leaders still feel they are not properly protected. Organizations can begin the journey to a Minimum Effective Toolset by taking a human-cost view, keeping the overhead on cyber professionals managing cybersecurity tools lower than the benefit of the tool in mitigating risks. In parallel, take an architectural view to measure whether any given tool is additive to, or subtractive of, the ability to protect the enterprise.”

Myth #3: More Cybersecurity Professionals Equals Better Protection
“Gartner predicts that by 2027, 75% of employees will acquire, modify or create technology outside IT’s visibility, up from 41% in 2022. CISOs can reduce the burden on their teams by helping these business technologists build Minimum Effective Expertise, or cyber judgment. A recent Gartner survey found that business technologists with high cyber judgment are 2.5 times more likely to consider cybersecurity risks when developing analytics or technology capabilities.”

Myth #4: More Controls Equals Better Protection
“A recent Gartner survey found that 69% of employees have bypassed their organization’s cybersecurity guidance in the past 12 months, and 74% of employees would be willing to bypass cybersecurity guidance if it helped them or their team achieve a business objective. ‘Cybersecurity organizations are well-aware of the pervasive non-secure behavior of the workforce, but the typical response of adding more controls is backfiring,’ said Henrique Teixeira, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner. ‘Employees report a huge amount of friction involved with secure behavior, which is driving unsecure behavior. Controls that are circumvented are worse than no controls at all.'”

 

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How AI Will Impact The Next Generation Workforce

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for a long time, but only in the current environment are we noticing its real impact in our personal and professional lives. As AI continues to become more progressive, the World Economic Forum notes, a predicted 85 million jobs globally will be replaced by AI by 2025, and AI can potentially generate 97 million new roles. Tech expert Kalina Bryant shares an article on Forbes depicting how AI has impacted and will continue to impact the current and next generation workforce. Most importantly, Bryant shows how we can embrace the changes that AI will bring so we can properly utilize these AI-driven tools in the workplace.

Breaking Barriers Through Adaptive Work Environments. “By adapting to employees’ unique requirements, AI promotes inclusivity and accessibility. We see data that shows AI is promoting inclusivity and accessibility in many ways that impact workers. According to Accenture, 84% of C-suite executives feel they must leverage AI to accomplish their growth objectives, but most still need to put AI to work to advance growth through inclusion.”

Advanced Inclusive Hiring Practices through AI. “Though we still have a long way to go, AI has played an impactful role in dismantling some of the bias and discrimination within the hiring process, making it possible for companies to achieve greater diversity and inclusion in hiring. Also, according to recent reports, recruiters can use AI tools to discover high-potential candidates outside job boards and other traditional sources. This is how employers can find more diverse candidates that may have yet to be noticed.”

Bridging The Skills Gap. “AI-powered learning platforms offer personalized training and up-skilling opportunities, irrespective of one’s background or location. By considering individual learning styles and preferences, AI fosters equitable access to educational resources. Individuals from underrepresented groups can acquire relevant skills, empowering them to pursue new job opportunities.”

AI Tools can also assist minorities and recent graduates in securing new job opportunities. AI-driven capabilities such as resume optimization, job matching, skill development, bias detection mitigation and accessibility accommodations can help the job search become easier. Additionally, interview preparation and network and mentorships can help prepare the candidates for better interview and hiring instances.

 

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Tech-Driven Education: Six Solutions For More Effective And Engaging Teaching

The ever-changing economic climate, thanks to technological advancements, has changed the way we teach our students. No longer is the traditional classroom with pencil and paper and dated textbooks the “norm”. There are more innovative approaches to teaching and learning thanks to the modern technologies we have to offer. From remote learning to technological teaching aids, today’s tech solutions have the potential to curate effective learning experiences. Slava Podmurnyi, Forbes Councils Member and CEO and co-founder of Visartech Inc. shares an article that delves deep into the ways technology is transforming the education sector, changing the ways of the modern classroom.

  1. AI-Generated Teachers. “With the integration of AI technology into the education industry, a new learning assistant has emerged. The AI-generated teacher is a technology solution that seamlessly takes over a lesson or course from a human teacher. This technology offers students personalized instruction and feedback based on their unique learning needs and styles. With this type of technology solution, students could build their confidence in speaking and then apply their skills in a real classroom setting with classmates.”
  2. Web-Based Conferencing Tools. “This technology offers fully synchronous and web-based teaching, which has the potential to be more effective than hybrid or dual-mode teaching. With enhanced visibility, interactivity, and breakout rooms, educators can deliver virtual sessions with ease and students can participate in real time.”
  3. 360-Degree Student Analytics. “360-degree student analytics provides a full view of students’ academic, social and behavioral interactions. Educators get data from various sources to understand their students’ needs and challenges better. With this view, educational institutions and online learning platforms can offer personalized study plans that are more effective than traditional teaching methods.”
  4. Zero-Trust Security. “With sensitive data such as student records and financial information at risk, it is essential to implement effective security measures. Cyberattacks in the education sector rose by 44% in 2022, likely due to the transition toward remote learning and the increased use of online education platforms. As a result, the education industry has become a prime target for cybercriminals. However, implementing zero-trust security measures could significantly minimize the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. The zero-trust security model works on the idea that we should never automatically trust anyone or anything, and always check to make sure they are safe.”
  5. 3D-Powered Brain Breaks. “Studies have shown that it is nearly impossible to study for extended periods without taking breaks. In fact, a recent survey found that 91% of teachers believed that incorporating Brain Break video segments improved their students’ focus and concentration. To make these breaks more engaging and effective, 3-D technology can be helpful. For example, 3-D puzzle games or 3-D break journeys might offer an enjoyable and immersive experience for students.”
  6. Smart Campus. “A smart campus refers to an advanced technological infrastructure that leverages the internet of things (IoT) and other digital technologies to improve the operational efficiency of educational institutions. The technology solution is designed to automate processes, enhance communication and connectivity, and optimize energy management. In recent years, a growing number of universities and colleges have started to adopt smart campus solutions.”

The next generation and beyond will adapt a more digitized learning environment, and Podmurnyi insists we stay ahead of the curve right now. Communicating and speaking with the language of today’s students is essential for a more engaged and motivated classroom. However, he notes, we must understand that technology only enhances learning. Great educators provide the great teaching and motivation to their students in their classroom. We need to combine technology and excellent teaching to inspire students in their learning experience.

 

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Gartner Reveals the Top Supply Chain Technology Trends for 2023

According to Gartner, Inc., organizations are investing more resources on supply chain management, prompting chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) to take this opportunity to invest in growth through new technology investments. To help with these investment decisions, Gartner analysts at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ list the top eight supply chain technology trends that will receive much of that investment in 2023.

Actionable AI delivers better data-driven decisions by mimicking the problem solving that humans make by augmenting decisions and keeping humans in the loop for validation purposes. Actionable AI learns patterns based off past decisions and experiences to adapt to changing, real world circumstances.

Smart Operations extends the preexisting concept of smart manufacturing to encompass all core operational capabilities, including manufacturing, service and logistics that span warehousing, transportation and global trade.

Mobile Asset Optimization maximizes the use of an enterprise’s mobile assets by combining business process software, sensory technologies and operational research techniques for optimization and business intelligence.

Industry Cloud Platforms combine software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) with specific functionality for vertical industry use cases. They do so not as predefined, one-off, vertical SaaS solutions, but rather as agile composable platforms supported by a catalog of industry-specific packaged business capabilities.

Employee Engagement is broadly a set of tools and applications used to help companies improve frontline worker performance, satisfaction and retention. This trend can span mixed reality and mobile devices to provide content that augments the job, wearables for safety and location management, collaboration tools and more.

Composable Application Architecture is designed to follow the core design principles of modularity, autonomy, orchestration and discovery, with a specific business use case. These packaged business capabilities are encapsulated software components that represent a well-defined business capability, recognizable as such by an end user.

Cyber Resilient Supply Chains means cybersecurity represents the tools, processes and governance methods (mechanisms) needed to mitigate cybersecurity risks caused by the extreme heterogeneity of supply chain technologies and ecosystem participants.

Supply Chain Integration Services encompass technology platforms, integration teams, strategic decision making on which applications to connect when and how (different integration strategies), and finally, cloud services to manage these integrations. Supply chain integration services elevate the role of integration from a tactical, execution-centric and technical view of system interoperability to a strategy-led vision of a more-interconnected world.

 

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Four Ways To Use Technology To Improve Your Business Operations

Starting a business in today’s standards requires far more steps than it did just a decade ago. From hiring to point of sales systems to security, there are so many moving parts with each one critical to your operational success. Thankfully, with the technology and many options to choose from, you can run your business with ease. Levi Lapp, founder and CEO of Atlantic Outdoors, shares an article on Forbes of the technological offerings he found useful when starting his own business and how they can improve your business operations.

Hiring. “Once your business takes off, you need to hire employees. But just putting an ad in the paper isn’t enough anymore. Many online tools can help you post an available position, but what do you do when you have multiple candidates who interview well and have impressive resumes? There are now online tools that can help you choose between good candidates and great ones.”

Cybersecurity. “Ensuring your employees’ social security numbers or customer information is protected is critical. With proper data security in place, your technology tools and systems are more likely to be safe from digital attacks. As our business is growing and we’re hiring more people, it has been critical for us to focus on some of the basics, such as including firewall security to protect our website, WiFi network and internet connection. Another big one: maintaining control of any devices we provide to our employees.”

Customer Relationship Management (CRM). “CRMs serve as a client contact database and can keep track of all communications, including adding reminders about when to contact customers. With the correct data, some can even offer potential outcomes based on the information provided. These outcomes can help your team determine if a lead is worth the time and effort needed. Most CRMs also include calendar features that allow you to prioritize projects, schedule deadlines and even factor in personal time off and holidays. You can input your events with reminder notifications to keep you on track for meetings, appointments and other important dates.”

Business Travel. “If you need to go out of town for work, the high-tech world has come a long way for business travelers. Some of those common travel stressors like finding a place to work out or a healthy lunch spot can now be a thing of the past with informational apps powered by businesses like ClassPass and TripAdvisor. And how about returning to the office with all those receipts from the road? Not to worry. Apps like Expensify and TripIt can help you streamline your itinerary, expenses, miles and more.”

Running a business in the modern age still comes with its challenges. But thanks to many advancements in technology, we can still manage and run our businesses smoothly,

 

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The 3 Biggest Digital Threats And How To Protect Yourself

It’s no surprise that we are in the middle of the digital age. Our digital footprints are bigger as we do almost everything online – shopping, banking, streaming, working, etc. This means, however, that we need to be aware of the dangers of our digital worlds. Strategic business & technology advisor Bernard Marr shares an article on Forbes about the subtle threats that are part of online life – and what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones.

  1. Digital addiction. “This can span any type of addiction related to digital pastimes, including social media addiction, internet addiction, phone addiction and gaming addiction. Much of the time spent on smartphones likely revolves around social media, but there’s no doubt that phones themselves have become something we automatically reach for when we want to feel validated or absorbed. We’re losing the ability to be idle and alone with our thoughts, even for a few moments.”What to do about it: set time limits for specific apps, set a bedtime or do not disturb mode, turn off app notification to reduce temptation, or even delete the most distracting apps from your phone.
  2. Cyberbullying. “According to the leading UK bullying charity, Bullying UK, 56 percent of young people have seen others be bullied online. We must all learn to recognize cyberbullying, teach our children what cyberbullying looks like, and take appropriate action when it occurs.”What to do about it: Educate yourself and your kids about cyberbullying and what you can do to avoid or not participate in it, learn to spot signs that you or your child or friends are being bullied online, know your rights (i.e. how to report and the guidelines for reporting cyber bullies and who to report it to), block those users on social media or online forums. Cyber bullying can also just be a post or inappropriate targeted content that you can also report for removal.
  3. Digital impersonation. “As more of our lives go online (including images, videos, and recordings of us), digital identity theft is becoming more of a threat. Fraudsters create social media accounts that use someone else’s (or even an organization’s) name, image, and other identifying features to create fake accounts. Even if your identity isn’t used by fraudsters, there’s still a risk that you could be interacting with fake accounts online.What to do about it: be on the lookout for fake social media accounts, adjust your privacy settings to avoid being targeted, be vigilant when accepting request or talking to people online, do a regular search of your name and look for any false posts or identities, think carefully about the content you share online – it might be used by fraudsters to create authentic looking accounts in your name to trick people you know.

The digital world is unavoidable and while it will never be 100% secure, you can take small measures to keep yourself safe from the threats online.

 

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6G Is Coming: What Will Be The Business Impact?

While 5G was introduced to us not 5 years ago, we always knew what will happen next – the emergence of 6G. Experts say that the next-gen tech will likely be 100 times faster than 5G. Bernard Marr, strategic business & technology advisor, shares an article on Forbes saying that 6G will go beyond speed, with technologists predicting a fully integrated system that allows for instantaneous communications between devices, consumers, and the surrounding environment. Marr shares some predictions on how how forthcoming 6G technology will transform the workplace in the future.

Enhancing the way we connect online. “Instead of spending hours on 2D Zoom or Teams meetings, we will meet in 3D digital spaces, where our avatars will have “real” eye contact. We will be able to meet in groups and even express body language in real time.”

Training the workers of the Future with VR and AR. “With 6G technology, companies will provide immersive VR and AR training experiences that streamline the transfer of knowledge between teams and boost knowledge retention.”

Experiencing the new social media world. “Instead of visiting someone’s 2D profile on a smartphone, with 6G connectivity, we will use mixed reality glasses to visit people’s 3D worlds, rendered in real-time and personalized just for us. For example, we might visit someone’s virtual home and admire their art and 3D-rendered holiday memories. Or we can meet up with our new and existing social media connections on a virtual planet for a fireside chat.”

The transformation of healthcare. “With lightning-fast data speeds, we’ll have smart sensors that float through our bloodstream and monitor and measure every aspect of our health. These connected devices will continuously collect data and analyze information to make recommendations and predict health issues before they arise. We will also see smart devices that can issue physical assistance and medications – supported by continuously-updated digital representations of ourselves online. With these new advances, our healthcare industry will move from its reactive approach to a predictive, personalized model. This will revolutionize the way we take care of our health in the Future, and have a major impact on anyone who currently works in healthcare.”

Hitting the road with 6G. “With 6G connectivity, we will have real-time, 4D maps that can help us manage the extreme traffic of our future cities, including autonomous vehicles on the ground (and even in the air!). Your commute will improve with the help of highly accurate sensors in vehicles and at base stations that can navigate and give you the fastest, most comfortable commute.”

 

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Leveraging Technology For Business Development

Business and technology go hand in hand in today’s digital age. It is important to drive productivity, engagement and growth with any new technological changes introduced. Saydiburkhon Saydirasulov, Forbes Councils Member and Business Development Executive at Jafton.com, takes a look into the areas in business where technology can be leveraged to manage and grow a business more effectively.

Automation Tools
“Automation tools help you optimize your process, reduce time-consuming chores and guarantee continuous follow-up with leads and customers… Customer relationship management (CRM) software and workflow integration can be used to automate follow-ups, outreach emails and appointment scheduling. In addition, a booking app may be used to send automatic reminders to customers, assuring their attendance at booked meetings or appointments,” says Saydirasulov.

Data
Data is such an important priority for your business to not invest more tools and resources into analyzing and using the information. Saydirasulov notes, “Not understanding your target market and the appropriate sales strategies to implement can cost companies a lot of money and create a lot of damage in the long term. The majority of automated CRMs provide weekly, monthly and yearly analytics data, which can be used to develop a better understanding of the market in general. These reports tend to give viable insights into the behavior of your target audience, enabling you to customize your sales strategy to meet their specific requirements.”

Content Generation
“Without quality content, it is virtually impossible to create brand awareness, engage a target audience and increase conversions. Content generation is only going to be more and more relevant as Gen-Z ages,” saye Saydirasulov. “The tech industry is currently going through great changes due to recent progress in AI technologies such as ChatGPT. Because of these new AI tools, it is now much easier and faster to generate content and engage your audience. You may schedule content pieces in advance to maintain a continuous social media and email marketing presence. Moreover, visual content such as infographics, movies and photos can be readily produced utilizing AI tools and shared on social media platforms.”

It’s not just knowing the new technology available, it’s knowing how to apply it to further the development of your business.

 

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Emerging Technology Innovations to Expect in 2023 and Beyond

Year after year new technology is discovered, improved, and taken to the next level. There is no shortage of innovation in this digital age. Keysight Technologies features an article on Yahoo! Finance highlighting the emerging technology innovation that industry experts predict will thrive in 2023 and beyond.

Quantum – Building the Foundation. “After decades-long hype around quantum computing and quantum systems, the industry will start to realize its potential for creating new opportunities in fields spanning cybersecurity, materials creation, financial analysis, and military receivers. Proactive companies will start investing in quantum, fostering quantum talent within the next generation of workers through university partnerships, hackathons, and other projects. This will create an ancillary boost to DEI initiatives resulting in much-needed diversity in the tech workforce. Recent research revealed that 74% of companies believe they will fall behind if they fail to adopt quantum. As a result, organizations will begin to shift their thinking that quantum is a futuristic technology and begin addressing key challenges, including financial resources and operations, and developing real enterprise applications of quantum by 2026, if not sooner.” – Dr. Eric Holland, Director of Quantum Engineering Solutions

Electric Vehicles – The Construction Industry Goes Green. “To date, EVs have been associated with climate-conscious consumers, but by 2025, expect adoption to come from some surprising sectors. For example, the construction industry stands to reap numerous benefits from utilizing EVs’ excess energy to power machinery that previously required cumbersome generators or numerous extension cords to function.” – Thomas Goetzl, VP & GM Automotive & Energy Solutions

Software Quality – Sustainability of Testing. “Traditional test automation is based on the need to run many fixed tests at defined periods (overnight, weekends and prior to a release, for example). The execution of each test requires significant computing power and thus has both an energy cost and an environmental impact. With the increase in energy prices and the greater awareness of sustainability, this legacy approach of “non-intelligent” test automation will be replaced by intelligent test optimization – in which the goal is to only run the tests that are known to identify a problem.” – Gareth Smith, GM Software Test Automation

6G – New Olympic Sport: The Metaverse. “The 2028 Summer Games will welcome 6G to the global stage. As a worldwide Olympic partner, expect Samsung to unveil a 6G deployment, which will be a pivotal part of how viewers consume events. For example, you can expect one of the two opening ceremonies to happen in the metaverse. The metaverse will also feature prominently in the user experience, enabling fans to participate in some Olympic events. We’ll also see certain sports and, potentially, eSports run a 6G Metaverse Olympics in parallel with the actual Games, with at least one medal awarded within the metaverse. As brands draw inspiration from the Olympics, there will be a subsequent explosion of 6G use cases throughout 2028.” – Colin Bauer, Market Initiative Manager Wireless Communications

Product Development – DIY Digital Twins Will Drive Up Recalls “Faster 5G rollouts are accelerating demand and expectations for adjacent advancements in complex technologies like autonomous driving, new distributed IoT applications, and the rollout of metaverse capabilities. Products involving this level of complexity need to meet more compliance and connectivity standards, operate across a much wider range of often unknown conditions, and are expected to be backward compatible with other systems that are not yet in the market. As a result, I anticipate that product developers will be tempted to build – known as do-it-yourself, or DIY – vs. buy their digital twins. Those taking DIY shortcuts will be leading the spike in product recalls.” – Jeff Harris, Vice President, Corporate & Portfolio Marketing

 

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Decentralized Identity And The Future Of Technology

Content contributor Swalé, and founder of  identity platform that identifies value in user profile data and digital interactions Iuncta, shares an article on Forbes on decentralized identity and the future of technology. He enlightens us with a revelation: “My self awareness has helped me to recognize the value of who I am in the physical world and gain an appreciation for my own identity; my relationship to technology has helped me make the connection to the digital world and translated that worth into my online presence; and the part of me that is a technologist has convinced me that online identity is the most valuable thing on the internet.” He once predicted that technology’s path will become decentralized and it has since. Web 3.0, for example, is being built based on a decentralized architecture that emphasizes distributed control across all elements. Since his last successful prediction, Swalé has stated a new one: that the future of technology will be defined by the progress made in decentralizing user identity. Below are three ways he sees identity shaping technology.

Self-Sovereign Identity. “User identity will solve one of technology’s biggest problems: interoperability. It will be the medium though which independent systems interface and communicate with each other. User identity will no longer be proprietary information for third-party platforms because users will have sole ownership of their identity, and they will be able to freely take it and its related data to create a personalized and familiar experience across platforms.”

Meta Humans. “The concept of a digital automaton is no longer conceptual, it is a reality and they exist today as meta humans. The evolution of this will come in the form of donor banks for identity, where users can openly share their identity for some form of payment. That identity will then be replicated and with artificial intelligence create a digital human that can mimic our temperament, cognitive process and behavioral and emotional attributes, and predict our future decisions.”

App Monetization Reversal. “The usership monetization model will be changed, a role reversal of sorts, where users will be paid to use platforms, which directly counters today’s implementation, where users pay for platform membership. Platforms are still going to be profitable over time, but it will involve them making an earlier investment commitment to grow a user base by competing with other platforms for user screen time.”

 

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