Happy Friday, readers. The three-day weekend is within reach (though some might have started the long weekend a bit earlier; traffic this morning was not as congested as it has been all week). As we all prepare to carry out the plans we have with friends and family, let’s first talk about the cloud.

On Cloud Computing Magazine, I penned an article that discussed a recent warning issued by IT professionals in an Arcserve survey. They feel a large number of companies still fall short in their efforts to protect proprietary data. In the report, nearly half of respondents reported some kind of revenue loss due to data incidents.

The long-story-short of it? Cyberattacks are not to be taken lightly. Therefore, below we have a few other warnings surrounding cybersecurity that might help your organization prevent itself from being the next victim of an attack.

Let’s take a look:

Cloud Resources are Big Targets for Cyberattacks

Thales' 2024 Cloud Security Study showed increasing risk of cyberattacks on cloud environments. Despite the strategic importance of cloud adoption, many organizations remain vulnerable to breaches due to human error, misconfiguration and inadequate encryption. As the attack surface expands, organizations must prioritize data security, visibility and sovereignty to protect their sensitive information in the cloud.

SASE’s Importance Against Cyberattacks

A report by MEF, an industry association, looked into the importance of Secure Access Service Edge solutions to combat cyberattacks. SASE combines network connectivity, cloud-based security and subscriber policies to protect users, devices and applications regardless of location. With cybercrime costs reaching astronomical figures, $10.5 trillion by 2025, MEF (News - Alert) argues that certified SASE solutions are essential for secure digital transformation. The report incorporates findings from various research firms and is supported by industry leaders.

Mixed Sentiments Surround AI

GitLab's 2024 Global DevSecOps Report found mixed sentiments surrounding AI in software development, with CxOs and individual contributors holding different perspectives on risks, training and productivity. In fact, 56% of CxOs said introducing AI into the software development lifecycle is risky, while only 40% of individual contributors cited concerns about privacy and data security as a top obstacle to using AI in the software development lifecycle. The report also revealed a disconnect between leadership and developers in terms of tool usage and measurement of developer productivity.

Cloud FinOps Market Booms

The global Cloud FinOps Market will grow from $13.5 billion in 2024 to $23.3 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 11.4% during the forecast period, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets. Cloud FinOps tools offer valuable insights into cloud usage, helping businesses optimize costs, prevent waste, and make informed decisions about resource allocation. This is especially crucial for small businesses looking to control their spending and ensure profitability in a cloud-based environment.

Gaps Remain in Cybersecurity Threat Intelligence Sharing and Collaboration

Cyware found in one of its reports the importance of collaboration and information sharing in cybersecurity, yet most organizations struggle to effectively combine insights across teams and platforms. While the majority recognize the value of ISACs, many are unaware of their existence or fail to utilize them. People, processes and technologies are identified as barriers to improvement. AI is seen as a potential solution, with 65% believing it can enhance information sharing. Additionally, Cyware stresses the need for a more integrated and proactive approach to threat intelligence through Cyber Fusion Centers.

IT Professionals Not Prepared to Address GenAI Risks

Ivanti's Aligning Perspectives: Cyber Risk Management in the C-Suite report highlights the growing cybersecurity risks and the importance of effective communication between CISOs and executive leaders. Fully 95% of IT and security professionals believe security threats will be more dangerous due to AI — yet, despite that elevated risk, nearly one in three security and IT professionals have no documented strategy in place to address generative AI risks. The report also showed misalignments in perspectives on cyber risk and vulnerability management between IT and non-IT leaders. CISOs are urged to quantify impacts, utilize vulnerability management and gain buy-in from executives for organizational success.

Hybrid IT Model Adoption Accelerate

According to CoreSite's 2024 State of the Data Center Report, there is a growing trend of hybrid IT environments to support business objectives. IT leaders value flexibility, cost control and performance. This leads them to adopt hybrid models combining colocation, private cloud and public cloud. The report also found a shift away from public cloud for certain workloads, especially AI-related applications. As AI continues to grow, hybrid IT strategies become increasingly crucial for organizations to remain competitive.

Hopefully these trends provided a bit of insight to help organizations develop stronger cybersecurity strategies. With that, I hope you all have a wonderful and well-deserved long weekend.