The pandemic and recent cyberattacks have spurred global demand for digital security.
Organizations worldwide are clamoring for tools to help them evolve in the current high-threat cybersecurity landscape, according to an Intel-sponsored study by Ponemon Institute published this month. The study involved a survey of 1,406 IT decision-makers in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
A vast majority of those surveyed—85 percent—said that hardware- and firmware-based security is a high or very high priority for their organization. Yet, only 36 percent are currently using hardware-assisted security solutions. This is likely one reason that Intel expects businesses to spend $172 billion on increasing their cybersecurity capabilities in 2022 globally.
There’s much to be done to bridge the gap between where many businesses are today and the atmosphere of risk that threatens them. Still, 47 percent of those surveyed said they’ll adopt hardware-assisted security solutions within the next six months.
“The security threat landscape continues to evolve, becoming more sophisticated and challenging for organizations to defend against,” said Suzy Greenberg, vice president of Intel Product Assurance and Security. “Today more than ever, companies are demanding assurance capabilities and hardware-enhanced security solutions that help protect the entire compute stack.”
In addition to mounting cyberattacks globally, the coronavirus pandemic has triggered a shift toward remote and hybrid work models that has required companies to change their security game plans. Some of the focus areas for these changes include adopting security automation, technologies with silicon-based security features, cloud migration, and workforce training.
Enterprise businesses look to leading tech companies for solutions, with 64 percent of respondents saying that their organizations are more likely to purchase technologies and services from tech providers on the cutting edge of innovation.
Adoption of a “zero trust” security model is becoming the norm for many companies. Such an approach is rooted in the notion of “never trust, always verify” and generally involves security frameworks with continuous authentication and validation for all network users.
Ponemon’s survey found that of the 36 percent of organizations using hardware-assisted security solutions, 32 percent use a zero trust strategy, with 75 percent expressing interest in adopting one.
However, in the meantime, security gaps persist. For example, fewer than half the respondents have visibility into newly disclosed vulnerabilities and patching updates.
“Without visibility and transparency, there is no trust,” said Tom Garrison, vice president and general manager of Client Security Strategy and Initiatives at Intel.
Several high-profile cyberattacks last year could have been prevented had a zero trust security model been implemented, according to Forbes. For example, the Colonial Pipeline hack was caused by a single compromised password that led to a significant fuel shortage in the U.S. A zero trust two-factor authentication may have been enough to prevent the attack.
