Cybersecurity Trends, CMMC Compliance Rush, Shadow IT Risks, and Sustainable Energy Innovations

Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights

A survey by Kaseya reveals that human behavior remains the primary challenge for IT professionals, with 89% citing insufficient training and poor user habits as significant issues. Phishing continues to be the top threat, affecting 58% of businesses, while the adoption of cyber insurance has surged from 27% in 2023 to 61% in 2024, indicating a growing awareness of cyber threats. As IT budgets stabilize, organizations are prioritizing investments in cloud security and security awareness training.

Host Dave Sobel also addresses the impending rush for Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) compliance, with 76,000 companies needing evaluations and only 50 to 60 assessors available. This situation presents a significant opportunity for compliance preparation services, such as gap assessments and remediation plans. The episode emphasizes that while compliance does not guarantee immunity from cyber incidents, it enhances protection against them. The anticipated release of a second rule to operationalize CMMC by early 2025 suggests that organizations must remain vigilant and adaptable to evolving requirements.

The discussion further explores the rising issue of shadow IT, particularly in light of the increasing use of SaaS applications, which have doubled per employee since 2019. Traditional security measures are proving inadequate as employees utilize unauthorized tools without IT oversight, leading to heightened risks of data leakage. The episode highlights the need for robust credential management and modernized security strategies to address these challenges, especially as generative AI tools change the way employees work.

Finally, Sobel touches on significant trends in energy innovations among major tech companies, including Google and Amazon Web Services, as they invest in nuclear power to meet the growing energy demands of their data centers. These initiatives reflect a broader trend towards securing reliable and sustainable energy sources, particularly in the context of the increasing energy consumption driven by generative AI. The episode concludes by emphasizing the importance of monitoring how these investments will become profitable, as the tech giants navigate the balance between sustainability and financial viability.

Four things to know today

00:00 From Ransomware Defense to Sustainable IT: How IT Pros Are Addressing Evolving Cybersecurity Threats in 2024

06:29 CMMC Compliance Rush Looms with Limited Assessors and 76,000 Companies in Need of Evaluation

07:55 Gartner Warns of Rising Shadow IT as SaaS Use Per Employee Doubles Since 2019

09:18 Cybersecurity, Data Protection, and Energy Innovations: Cynomi, Sherweb, Pax8, Google, and AWS Lead Industry Shifts

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