Security and compliance have always been crucial to business preservation. However, the demand for innovation is greater than ever.
The world of communications is evolving at an accelerated pace, with new channels and technologies emerging all the time. Cloud-based omnichannel platforms, artificial intelligence, and automation are all paving the way for significant increases in productivity and performance.
Unfortunately, with new technology comes new risks. Companies are now creating and managing more data than ever before, distributed across a range of platforms. At the same time, compliance standards are evolving, forcing organizations to update their approach to data protection.
Staying up-to-date with the latest security and compliance trends is crucial to protect your business, customers, and intellectual property in the years ahead. Here are some of the trends worth watching in 2024 and beyond.
1. Evolving Communication Channels
The concept of omnichannel communications is nothing new in the business world. Unified communication platforms are offering businesses more ways to enhance productivity and collaboration through a variety of ways. Unfortunately, the more channels a company embraces, the more risks it needs to be aware of.
Each environment comes with its own threat elements. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger don’t always offer the highest level of encryption to regulated businesses. Cloud collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams must be configured to suit your security concerns.
To stay ahead of security and compliance concerns, companies must find a way to unify their compliance strategy with a comprehensive solution. A platform or tool that allows you to capture all forms of data in its original context will help bridge the gaps in your security strategy.
2. Attacks Continue to Grow More Sophisticated
Evolving technology in the modern world presents fantastic opportunities for businesses to grow. However, innovations in the world of automation, AI, and beyond also give new resources to cyber criminals. As the world grows more digitized, malicious attackers are finding new ways to access and use crucial data.
In the last couple of years alone, phishing attacks have grown more common, alongside ransomware and malware issues. Even the biggest businesses aren’t immune to these sophisticated threats. Countless organizations have suffered major data breaches in the last few years.
Staying ahead of the evolving attacks will require some innovation. Even strategies like multi-factor authentication can be manipulated with the right techniques. Businesses will need to leverage the
3. Security and Compliance Skill Shortages Persist
The shortage of security and compliance experts available to assist businesses in building robust strategies has become more significant in recent years. More than 50% of businesses struggle with at least a basic cybersecurity skills gap.
Fortunately, the industry is evolving to address this issue. Some vendors now offer comprehensive training and onboarding support to help empower all team members. Others provide access to solutions that help to minimize the demand for skilled workers.
For instance, automation in the world of security and compliance can help companies to monitor and manage data consistently. Some solutions can even redact sensitive information from recordings based on pre-set policies. AI also offers a potential solution.
With innovations in artificial intelligence, companies can more rapidly assess data, predict potential attacks, and implement strategic fixes for security and compliance problems.
4. Artificial Intelligence Presents New Risks
Notably, while artificial intelligence has the power to support and enhance security teams, it comes with its own issues to consider. Generative AI solutions, in particular, have caused many problems for businesses in the last year. Not all of these platforms give companies the power to control their data, and some use customer data to train future models.
Already around 70% of companies are experimenting with generative AI. As vendors in the UCaaS and CCaaS space continue to add these tools to their platforms, adoption will grow. To simultaneously embrace innovation and preserve data security, companies need a comprehensive strategy.
Gartner, the leading analyst, has suggested that “AI TRiSM” (AI trust, risk, and security management) will become essential in the years ahead. The right strategy will ensure businesses can integrate governance and compliance strategies into their systems from day one.
5. Workplace Mobility Continues to Evolve
While back-to-work mandates have become more common in the last year, hybrid and remote working opportunities haven’t disappeared. Employees in all industries are still demanding flexibility. For some, this means retaining the opportunity to work remotely part-time. For others, it means continuing to use the tools and devices they feel comfortable with in the office.
In all instances, the continued focus on mobility will create risks for security and compliance teams to assess. Moving into the years ahead, companies won’t be able to rely on simply trying to bring employees back into the office to mitigate threats.
They’ll need a comprehensive strategy for securing remote devices, monitoring threats in the cloud, and preserving network security. At the same time, it will be essential to ensure solutions used to collect and manage business data don’t impose on employee privacy.
6. The Rise of Continuous Threat Exposure Management
A changing business landscape, influenced by new technologies, communication tools, and evolving regulations, will require a new approach to security and compliance. Reactive strategies for protecting businesses will no longer be suitable to adhere to modern regulations.
What’s more, they present a significant risk for businesses, with the average cost of a data breach reaching $4.45 million in 2023. Gartner predicts that organizations will begin to embrace a “Continuous Threat Exposure Management” strategy in the years ahead to automate cybersecurity, compliance measures, and protection.
Leveraging tools that allow for consistent penetration testing, predictive insights, and robust data protection could help businesses reduce their breach risk by two-thirds, accounting to Gartner.
7. Security and Compliance Drives Business Success
It’s no secret that customer expectations have evolved in recent years. Consumers aren’t just looking for more convenient, personalized interactions with businesses. They also want to be constantly reassured that their digital identities and data are protected.
Consumers know how valuable their digital data is, and they’re unwilling to forgive organizations that fail to implement the proper security and compliance strategies. Around 71% of consumers say they will avoid buying from the same company again if they lose their trust.
Implementing robust strategies to preserve security and compliance won’t just protect companies from significant fines in the years ahead. It will also become crucial to protecting brand reputation, retaining customers, and staying competitive in a challenging economy.
Adapting to UC Security and Compliance Trends
The business landscape and world of unified communications will only continue to evolve in the years ahead. While innovations will bring new opportunities to organizations, they’ll also pave the way for unknown risks and threats. Maintaining high levels of security and compliance in this space will require a careful, strategic approach to implementing the right policies and technology.
As we move into 2024, now is the time for all organizations to rethink their security strategy and ensure they can protect their data moving forward.
This post originally appeared on Service Management - Enterprise - Channel News - UC Today.