The early months of a new year always present an opportunity to reflect on how an industry has advanced and where we're headed. For cybersecurity professionals, 2023 marked the maturity of the government's efforts and strategy for a more secure landscape. It also signaled that corporate boards, C-Suites, and other senior leaders must become more cyber-savvy in integrating cybersecurity into expanded dimensions of their businesses. The roll-out of the White House's National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan and various new regulations such as the expanded scope of The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) are evidence of this.

Of course, such efforts to improve the security of both the public and private sectors will need to evolve to meet emerging threats and new realities, as well as legal risk. New technologies like AI and ChatGPT, for instance, challenged companies and Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) to define and implement policies that proactively address and prevent risks — a critical issue that's likely to continue to be top of mind in 2024. Alongside these emerging technologies are many legal considerations that afford the opportunity for CISOs and cyber leaders to partner with legal teams for long-term solutions.

In addition to the expanded technology footprint to protect, the threat landscape has continued to evolve. Advanced threat groups began customizing their targeting and social engineering approaches to focus on weakness in helpdesk and business and customer support processes. To carry out their attacks, they don't just successfully deploy effective ransomware variants, they gain administrative access to some of the most prestigious global enterprises, including the gaming and insurance industries, through subverting insufficient front-line controls.