Governments need stronger partnership with industry and academia to fight new types of cyberattacks

Author Moonshot.news

Published on: 16/10/2024

Governments, industry and academia need a stronger partnership to address cybersecurity challenges and invest in cyber skills and expertise. Emerging technologies, including AI, offer both unprecedented opportunities for growth but also increase new types of cybersecurity risks, according to a new white paper from World Economic Forum. Traditional solutions like embedding security features is no longer enough, the report states.

“Establishing a proactive, collaborative approach to cyber resilience is essential in the face of rapidly evolving technologies. By integrating security and resilience by design, stakeholders can ensure the development of secure digital ecosystems while driving innovation.” 

“Balancing the risks and opportunities presented by emerging technologies is key to maintaining a secure and resilient digital future.”

Recommendations:

1. Investment in R&D: Continuously invest in research and development to create innovative solutions for emerging threats, including new cryptographic techniques and AI-driven cybersecurity tools.
2. Collaboration and capacity-building: Strengthen partnerships among government, industry and academia to address cybersecurity challenges collectively. Invest in initiatives to enhance cyber skills and expertise in emerging technology areas.
3. Regulatory reform and standardisation: Develop regulatory frameworks that promote security by design and facilitate international cooperation. Standardize cybersecurity practices to streamline compliance efforts and improve interoperability across sectors.
4. Cyber-resilience planning: Develop and regularly test comprehensive incident response plans that account for emerging threats to ensure rapid recovery from cyber incidents.
5. Governance frameworks: Establish robust governance structures to guide the responsible development and deployment of emerging technologies, integrating risk assessment and management processes throughout their life cycle
6. Continuous monitoring and adaptation: Implement mechanisms for ongoing monitoring of emerging technology environments and adapt cybersecurity strategies in response to evolving threats.

 Among the report’s key findings:

1. Expanding technological landscape: More than 200 critical and emerging technologies are shaping today’s digital ecosystem, far beyond the commonly discussed AI and IoT. This diversity requires a broad, inclusive approach to technology assessment and security strategy development
2. Increased attack surface: The proliferation of connected devices, expected to reach more than 32 billion by 2030, significantly expands the potential entry points for cyberattacks. Each device represents a potential vulnerability, necessitating robust security measures and comprehensive monitoring.
3. AI-specific threats: AI systems introduce new vulnerabilities such as data poisoning, model manipulation and adversarial attacks. The dual nature of AI as both a cybersecurity tool and potential weapon requires advanced defence strategies and continuous innovation.
4. Quantum computing risks: Quantum computing poses significant threats to current encryption methods, with some actors already harvesting encrypted data for future decryption. This emphasizes the urgency of developing quantum-resistant cryptographic solutions.
5. Supply-chain vulnerabilities: The complex, global nature of ICT supply chains makes them prime targets for cyberthreats, necessitating comprehensive security measures throughout the entire chain.
6. Regulatory challenges: The speed of technological advances often outpaces existing regulatory frameworks, creating governance gaps. There is a need for flexible, adaptive regulations that balance innovation and security. 
7. Skills gap: A significant shortage of cybersecurity professionals with expertise in emerging technologies presents challenges for organizations attempting to secure new systems and respond to evolving threats.