Security Predictions For 2013-2014

There are some major threats that will be most prevalent in 2013- 2014 : cyber security, big data,Mobile malware,cloud-based botnets,data security in the cloud, supply chain security, and consumerization.

Experts believe that, in 2013, anyone whose intellectual property can be used for profit or as a vantage point can become a target of cyber espionage. Governments should seriously start focusing on the protection of critical infrastructure, and they should even prepare for the eventuality of a full telecommunications blackout.

As far as the supply chain is concerned, a large number of organizations have been affected by malicious operations that targeted their suppliers. Such incidents will likely continue and more companies will become victims.
Big Data has a lot of advantages, but the security risks that come with this concept are great. The biggest challenge for companies in 2013 will be to secure not only the data inputs, but also the Big Data outputs.
 
Many businesses have started to realize the importance of data security in the cloud and have begun implementing security and compliance strategies. However, most of them are still a long way from achieving this goal, mainly because they still don’t know in which areas they’ve implemented cloud services.
Finally, the bring your own device (BYOD) trend should be a major concern for most organizations. It’s easy for employees to lose the boundary between work and personal data, and this could lead to accidental disclosure of sensitive information.
Also, since sharing location via GPS-enabled devices has become so popular, crimes that exploit such information will become more common.
 
"Organizations must prepare for the unpredictable so they have the resilience to withstand unforeseen, high impact events"

In 2014 :  Cybercriminals will remotely commit a murder by tampering with electronic devices that are connected to the Internet. A vivid example is that of an Internet-connected car of which the onboard software is hacked to alter its control systems (brakes come to mind). Basically, anything electronic and Internet-connected could be remotely controlled/ reconfigured with potentially disastrous, physical, consequences (depending on the device and the circumstances). Because of the remote nature of the interaction, it will be very difficult to catch the perpetrator .

Leveraging of Mobile Device :   In order to steal money through banking and e-commerce applications. As more and more smartphones will come equipped with NFC to enable mobile payments or the exchange of information between devices, cybercriminals are likely to focus on the relatively poorly secured applications that are meant to interface with NFC.

            More malware driven cyber-espionage and sabotage between nation states (think Stuxnet, Flame, Duqu and others), the compromising of critical infrastructure resulting in severe damage and the exploiting of military assault systems (think hacking an armed drone), possibly resulting in the loss of lives and/or the destruction of property. 

And Beyond

The “cloud” will become more intelligent, not just a place to store data. Cloud intelligence will evolve into becoming an active resource in our daily lives, providing analysis and contextual advice. Virtual agents could, for example, design your family’s weekly menu based on everyone’s health profiles, fitness goals, and taste preferences, predict futurist consultants Chris Carbone and Kristin Nauth.

Robots will become gentler caregivers in the next 10 years. Lifting and transferring frail patients may be easier for robots than for human caregivers, but their strong arms typically lack sensitivity. Japanese researchers are improving the functionality of the RIBA II (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance), lining its arms and chest with sensors so it can lift its patients more gently.

Neuroscientists may soon be able to predict what you’ll do before you do it. The intention to do something, such as grasp a cup, produces blood flow to specific areas of the brain, so studying blood-flow patterns through neuroimaging could give researchers a better idea of what people have in mind. One potential application is improved prosthetic devices that respond to signals from the brain more like actual limbs do.