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IoT, encryption, and AI lead top security trends for 2017 Posted on : Apr 27 - 2017

The Internet of Things (IoT), encryption, and artificial intelligence (AI) top the list of cybersecurity trends that vendors are trying to help enterprises address, according to a Forrester report released Wednesday.

As more and more breaches hit headlines, CXOs can find a flood of new cybersecurity startups and solutions on the market. More than 600 exhibitors attended RSA 2017—up 56% from 2014, Forrester noted, with a waiting list rumored to be several hundred vendors long. And more than 300 of these companies self-identify as data security solutions, up 50% from just a year ago.

"You realize that finding the optimal security solution for your organization is becoming more and more challenging," the report stated.

In the report, titled The Top Security Technology Trends To Watch, 2017, Forrester examined the 14 most important cybersecurity trends of 2017, based on the team's observations from the 2017 RSA Conference. Here are the top five security challenges facing enterprises this year, and advice for how to mitigate them.

1. IoT-specific security products are emerging, but challenges remain

The adoption of consumer and enterprise IoT devices and applications continues to grow, along with concerns that these tools can increase an enterprise's attack surface, Forrester said. The Mirai botnet attacks of October 2016 raised awareness about the need to protect IoT devices, and many vendors at RSA used this as an example of the threats facing businesses. While a growing number of companies claim to address these threats, the market is still underdeveloped, and IoT security will require people and policies as much as technological solutions, Forrester stated.

"[Security and risk] pros need to be a part of the IoT initiative and extend security processes to encompass these IoT changes," the report stated. "For tools, seek solutions that can inventory IoT devices and provide full visibility into the network traffic operating in the environment." View More