Top 10 security predictions for 2006

March 2006 Information Security

As the importance of information security continues to rise, organisations around the globe are looking at revising their existing strategies to ensure that their information assets are optimally secured.

Gary Middleton, general manager of security solutions at Dimension Data, outlines 10 predictions that will impact the information security landscape in 2006:

1. Expect more damages, but fewer epidemics. Infection rates are likely to increase in 2006, and organisations can therefore no longer rely on the media or mass attacks to alert them of problems. The assumption that no news is good news will lead to a false sense of security.

2. Attacks will move beyond Microsoft's operating system. More applications and other infrastructure elements within organisations will be targeted, resulting in increased workloads to patch vulnerabilities.

3. Spyware will remain a major issue. Organisations can expect more spyware infections, which will deplete bandwidth, drive up the number of helpdesk calls and ultimately affect employee productivity. There will be a greater need to invest in additional technology to combat spyware.

4. Instant Messenger (IM) and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) will become a bigger headache. Widespread adoption and use of IM and P2P applications can expose organisations to new threats. Organisations need to be aware of, secure and manage these technologies.

5. Messaging security will get serious. Two years ago, organisations invested in e-mail security products that controlled spam. Today, the focus has shifted towards solutions that incorporate policy compliance and encryption capabilities - in addition to the ability to deal with viruses and spam.

6. Boards will pay more attention to security. In line with the global trend of good governance practices, boards continue to pay greater attention to ensuring that their organisations' information assets are protected from a growing number of internal and external threats.

7. Wireless security will get more attention. As the end-user demand for mobility continues to grow, organisations need to ensure that their wireless access points are secured from unauthorised access.

8. Patching will become selective. The number of patches that are released for operating systems, applications and other IT infrastructure elements continues to grow at an alarming rate. Implementing all patches is becoming too cumbersome and costly, and organisations will start to selectively patch their IT assets based on value and the particular threats that they face.

9. The trend towards secure infrastructure will continue. As security becomes embedded in the infrastructure layer; we are witnessing the convergence of network, systems and security management as a single competence. As a result, customers will increasingly look at one provider to supply, support, manage and secure the end-to-end infrastructure.

10. There will be a greater focus on end-point security. There is going to be a much greater focus on how insecure end-points; such as laptops, desktops and other devices; connect to the network.

For more information contact Anna Watson, Dimension Data SA, 011 575 4509, [email protected]





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Managed security solutions for organisations of all sizes
Information Security News & Events
Cyber attackers have become significantly more sophisticated and determined, targeting businesses of all sizes. PwC’s Global Digital Trust Insights Survey 2025 Africa and South Africa highlights the urgent need for organisations to implement robust cyber risk mitigation strategies.

Read more...
Data resilience at VeeamON
Technews Publishing SMART Security Solutions Infrastructure Information Security
SMART Security Solutions attended the VeeamON Tour in Johannesburg in August to learn more about data resilience and Veeam’s initiatives to enhance data protection, both on-site and in the cloud.

Read more...
Troye exposes the Entra ID backup blind spot
Information Security Infrastructure
If you trust Microsoft to protect your identity, think again. Many organisations naively believe that Microsoft’s shared responsibility model covers Microsoft Entra?ID – formerly Azure AD – but it does not.

Read more...
Secure data protection without hardware lock-in
Infrastructure Information Security News & Events
New Veeam Software Appliance empowers IT teams to achieve instant protection with Veeam’s fully preconfigured, software-only appliance, delivering enterprise-ready simplified deployment and operational efficiency, robust cyber resilience.

Read more...
Check Point launches open, vendor-neutral MDR services
Information Security News & Events Products & Solutions
New Check Point MDR 360° and MXDR 360° offerings deliver 24/7 managed continuous threat monitoring protection across endpoints, cloud and network environments with built-in identity threat detection and 160+ integrations across hybrid, multi-vendor environments.

Read more...
Credential theft surges in South Africa
NEC XON Information Security
NEC XON issues a critical cybersecurity warning about the dual threat of massive credential theft and AI-powered cyberattacks sweeping across the region, with an increasing number of incidents and evolving threat tactics.

Read more...
Want effective Attack Surface Management? Think like an attacker.
Information Security
Effective ASM requires companies to think like attackers, anticipate risks, and act decisively to reduce exposure by knowing their environment, deploying a structured approach, leveraging capable tools, and addressing both internal and external risks.

Read more...
The growing role of hybrid backup
Infrastructure Information Security
As Africa’s digital economy rapidly grows, businesses across the continent are facing the challenge of securing data in an environment characterised by evolving cyberthreats, unreliable connectivity and diverse regulatory frameworks.

Read more...
POPIA non-compliance puts municipalities at risk
Information Security Government and Parastatal (Industry)
Digital responsibility must go beyond POPIA compliance to recognising that privacy and service delivery are fundamentally linked. Despite this, only 51 out of 257 municipalities submitted their mandatory data protection and access to information reports in 2024.

Read more...
Choicejacking bypasses smartphone charging security
News & Events Information Security
Choicejacking is a new cyberthreat that bypasses smartphone charging security defences to confirm, without the victim’s input or consent, that the victim wishes to connect in data-transfer mode.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.