Being forewarned is being forearmed, which is why SpamTitan has issued five network and email security predictions for 2013. Over the course of the next 12 months, mobile applications and social media networks are likely to have a major impact on businesses, especially small to medium-sized enterprises. However, both have potential to introduce new security risks. These will need to be addressed.

Last year the volume of cyberattacks increased, as did the variety of new malware identified. More sophisticated cyberattacks were conducted in 2013 than in previous years, and they have proven to be even more damaging.

Last year was difficult for IT security professionals. Unfortunately, the coming year is unlikely to be any easier. If you want to keep your network secure and your data protected, a considerable effort will be required over the next 12 months!

SpamTitan Network and Email Security Predictions for 2013

1.      Social media monitoring will become essential to keep networks secure and staff productive

The popularity of social media websites is growing, and people are now spending an extraordinary amount of time connecting with people online, sending messages, reading and writing posts, uploading photographs, friending and poking. People crave interaction so this should be no surprise. With even more social media sites to choose from, and the use of the sites now ingrained, employees will want to use the sites more frequently at work. It is up to employers to harness the power of social media and prevent abuse.

Managers who have yet to tackle the issue of social media website use at work will need to take action in 2013. Whether it is implementing a ban or policies covering usage, the issue will not be able to be ignored any more. Since employees will use the sites even if a ban is implemented, we expect more companies to start adopting ways to curb usage, as well as taking action to address the network security risks the sites pose.

2.      BYOD is here to stay and the trend will continue

BYOD is driven by employees, not by employers. Employees want to bring their own devices to work, and employers can reap the benefits. The problem that must be addressed is how to manage the considerable security risks. Many companies will decide the risks posed by the devices outweigh the benefits, and many will look to harness the power of web tools and cloud based applications.

We expect security polices will need to be put in place by organizations in 2013. Employees who are permitted to bring their own devices to work are likely to have more restrictions put in place on the use of those devices. Additional security measures to enforce policies will also be installed.

3.      Cybercriminals will start to use social media as the main way of profiling targets

As the use of social media networks grows and consumers spend more time on the sites, cybercriminals will start to use the websites as a way of identifying and profiling their targets for spear phishing campaigns. Malware attacks via Facebook and other social media platforms are also likely to increase over the next 12 months. Criminals will also become more skilled at using social media networks to obtain the information necessary to defraud their targets.

Email spam volumes should continue to fall as criminals find it harder to profit from spamming campaigns. The past 2-3 years have seen spam volume decline and this is likely to continue in 2013. 3 years ago, the volume of spam emails stood at around 90% of all emails sent. Now the figure is around 70%. We expect the total to fall to around 60% this year.

4.      Phishing attacks will primarily be conducted via social media websites

Phishing campaigns have been found to be highly effective on Facebook and Twitter. These two social media platforms were the most popular with phishers last year, and that is likely to continue in 2013. Social media campaigns can be conducted rapidly, and require little outlay. As the threat grows, we expect organizations to take action and implement defenses to reduce the risk of their employees falling for phishing schemes. They will be given little choice if they want to keep their networks protected.

5.      Market consolidation to continue and businesses will increasingly consider alternative solution providers

The information security industry is likely to see even more market consolidation in 2013. Smaller companies will merge, with numerous takeovers expected. Last year, Trustwave bought out M86 Security, and Eleven GmbH was acquired by Commtouch.

However, end user businesses should find they can stay competitive if they concentrate on niche products. Specialist products will continue to be developed and fine-tuned, offering consumers more powerful security solutions for specific areas of network security.

Do you agree with our network and email security predictions for 2013? We expect, as an IT professional, you will have your own security predictions for 2013. What do you think the next 12 months have in store for IT security pro’s?