As the arms race between cybercriminals and cybersecurity operators continues, cyberattacks have become more and more sophisticated - and the need for advanced cybersecurity solutions to counter them has increased. But the term can feel nebulous, so what does it actually mean to be advanced?
Advanced cybersecurity solutions are those that incorporate three key principles:
These three elements, together, ensure a rock-solid security foundation - and without all three, a solution, while still modern, can’t be considered advanced.
Any advanced cybersecurity solution must be integrated as left in the SDLC as possible, starting with the developer, with real time detection and remediation within their IDE. Poor code security is a significant contributor to vulnerabilities in modern applications, spawning high-severity risks such as injection and cross-site scripting, and data breaches can result from significant vulnerabilities created during software development due to misconfiguration or poor coding practices.
According to a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report, exploits of vulnerabilities at the software layer, which includes flaws stemming from poor code security and insecure development practices, are a significant concern. The movement of the industry toward shift-left highlights the fact that many of the vulnerabilities can be mitigated or prevented by integrating security into the coding and design stages.
Education has long been one of the most powerful tools cybersecurity professionals have in combating cyberattacks. Being proactive and ensuring that people know the threats and understand how to spot them before they happen minimizes human error - according to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, human error is responsible for 74% of cybersecurity breaches, with employee training reducing security incidents substantially according to CISA.
Having a solution that not only offers that education, but integrates it into the workflow and does so in a way that maintains productivity is key. The training also needs to be modified for the trainee, because what is effective training for the marketer (sorry Vince) may not be effective for the developer. The goal isn’t to check boxes, the goal is to create a culture of security and make security institutional knowledge for employees, and the only way to do that is by training them where they are and with courses that are impactful.
AI has fundamentally changed the way we work by offering an incredible amount of processing power in a very short amount of time. It’s no surprise, then, that its application would extend to cybersecurity. Leveraging AI acts as a force multiplier for both points above by enabling faster and more accurate detection, prevention, response, and training for vulnerabilities.
AI helps with real-time threat detection through pattern recognition and anomaly detection, analyzing abnormal behavior from a baseline of normal activity, as well as predictive analysis. It also contributes greatly to education by providing dynamic training courses tailored to a developers’ needs, and coaches them with real-time remediation tactics.
As cyber threats continue to evolve in complexity, the need for advanced cybersecurity solutions has never been greater. These solutions aren’t just about keeping up with the latest attacks—they represent a holistic, proactive approach to security. By integrating deeply into the software development lifecycle, providing continuous education, and leveraging state-of-the-art technologies like AI, advanced solutions can help prevent vulnerabilities before they’re exploited.
In a rapidly changing cyber landscape, adopting an advanced approach to security is no longer optional—it’s essential.
