What are the Top Challenges in Cybersecurity for Organizations?
- Angela Novelli
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Evading cybersecurity threats and attacks is one of the most important priorities for organizations, especially as advanced threats continue to become more sophisticated and harder to detect. With technology rapidly evolving, cyber criminals are implementing new ways to infiltrate organizations to access sensitive data and systems.
Reports show that about 90% of firms experience at least one cyber incident each year, so it is increasingly important for organizations to remain aware of the most pressing threats to their privacy and security. In this article, we delve into the top challenges in cybersecurity for organizations as well as the growing trends for mitigating these challenges and protecting your business.
Advanced Cybersecurity Threats Persist
Many of the most common cybersecurity threats remain persistent even today, such as ransomware, supply chain attacks, and phishing. As organizations continue to implement advanced technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and IoT devices, the amount of systems and information to protect expands, especially as companies continue to grow. Here are several of the top cybersecurity challenges to be aware of:
AI-Enabled Attacks: With the rise of artificial intelligence in organizations, there is also a rise in its usage by cyber criminals. It is crucial to ensure proper governance and oversight when integrating AI into business operations instead of moving forward quickly with little risk assessment. Rapid implementation can introduce vulnerabilities that can be found by attackers, potentially using AI to do so, allowing them to have an increased chance to access sensitive data.
In addition, AI is being utilized to create advanced phishing attacks that are much more difficult to detect than before. Prior to the rise of generative AI, phishing attempts could sometimes be detected through grammar mistakes or the way sentences were formed, but now with GenAI, they are becoming more sophisticated. This use of GenAI has also introduced deepfakes, which are generated audio and/or video that depict a real person, making it hard to identify what is real and what is not. These can be used by attackers to gain access to funds and data by impersonating a high-ranking leader within an organization.
Ransomware: Like most cybersecurity threats, ransomware is evolving into a bigger issue than ever for organizations, and it now causes over 40% of reported breaches. Today, these threats are combining encryption, data exfiltration, public extortion, and regulatory power for much more targeted attacks. These attacks have been focused on supply-chain sabotaging as well as downtime and disruptions within different industries.
Supply Chain Risks: In addition to being a greater target for ransomware, supply chains are seeing much more cyber threats as attackers attempt to get past organizational defenses through third-party vendors. These suppliers may be less secure and more vulnerable to the implementation of malware that targets the main organization’s data and operations.
Human Error Remains a Top Cybersecurity Factor
While there are a growing number of advanced threats coming from attackers using technology and third-party means, one of the greatest challenges to cybersecurity is the risk of human error. In fact, human conduct causes approximately 70% to 85% of breaches, highlighting the need for further training and initiatives focused on effective cybersecurity.
Cyber attacks are evolving consistently, not just with the introduction of advanced technologies but also with the exploitation of human mistakes. With AI in the mix, attackers can generate threats targeted at specific individuals or those that impersonate executives or other colleagues, highlighting the importance of authenticating sensitive requests and integrating further cybersecurity training and awareness.
While robust cybersecurity frameworks and advanced threat detection technologies are integral parts of privacy and security, human employees are key in ensuring that potential threats are mitigated. Regular cybersecurity reviews and strategies may be necessary to make each individual aware of any attacks that may emerge.
What are the Growing Trends for Mitigating Cybersecurity Risks in 2026?
With these growing challenges in cybersecurity for organizations comes increased mitigation efforts to consider moving forward. The need for effective cybersecurity measures is imperative, and proper solutions are practical and scalable, such as those provided by our team at Sedna Consulting Group. We help organizations to prevent any potential threats before they can compromise sensitive data and systems, and address the most pressing risks that could emerge. Our team minimizes these threats without any disruption of productivity. Reach out to info@sednacg.com for more information on how we are equipped to implement effective cybersecurity solutions for your organization.
Furthermore, growing trends in cybersecurity strategies include the following:
AI as a Defense Tool: While attackers are utilizing AI to generate more sophisticated attacks, organizations can also adopt AI for defense purposes. AI is capable of analyzing large amounts of data much faster than a human employee would be able to, enabling quicker identification of any vulnerabilities or system misuse. With predictive analytics, AI can proactively anticipate threats, allowing organizations to respond before any damage is done to their operations.
Increasing Awareness: It is important for every member of an organization to become more aware of the most pressing threats to privacy and security within their organization. With growing threats, organizations are shifting towards thinking of cybersecurity as a problem for every part of their company, not just the IT department. This means having regular training sessions and increased communication regarding any changes to cybersecurity threats.
Secure-By-Design Practices: This trend highlights the need for security to be embedded into the software development process, rather than added on later. Vulnerabilities that are identified and considered while software is being developed are going to be much more difficult to attack than those that are addressed after development.
Implementing Zero-Trust Architecture: This is becoming an integral part of many organizations, ensuring that verification is required no matter the network location. Combining zero-trust with multi-factor authentication can help protect against advanced attacks and defend crucial systems.
These challenges in cybersecurity are significant priorities for any type of organization, and taking proactive steps to mitigate these risks is critical. Advanced technologies like AI are only going to continue evolving, meaning cyber criminals will persist in adapting to new cybersecurity measures. This highlights the importance of having effective strategies that evolve to defend against the shifting tide of potential organizational risks.
“Trust is the ultimate vulnerability in cybersecurity.”
– Wendy Nather, Former Head of Advisory CISOs, Cisco
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