COVID-19 has challenged how we view security as a society. When the pandemic began, companies had to keep their day-to-day operations running smoothly while still protecting customers, employees and visitors. Especially for security and IT professionals, the interruption of the pandemic and a primarily remote environment forced them to assess current infrastructure and upgrade systems to better protect the network.

With 2021 well underway, it’s still hard to predict what the future holds. But, we do know new innovations will continue to hit the market, and current security technologies must adapt. As security and IT professionals prepare for these changes, here are some trends I expect to see this year.

Prioritize Network Capacity

VPNs are a great first step when implementing a long-lasting remote work structure. However, success with VPNs depends on users following proper security practices and available network capacity. Looking ahead, it’s likely many businesses will keep working in a remote environment. Security and IT professionals will need to prioritize network capacity and enforce employee policies to properly secure company devices.

The Emergence of a New Perimeter

Cybersecurity has been and will continue to be a priority for businesses. However, in the past, companies often assumed that with the network’s edge being protected, everything within that network would also be protected. Today, the increase of cloud-based services and mobile workforces in small-to-mid-sized businesses has blurred the edge. In 2021, companies face a much wider area to protect, and a new perimeter will emerge — the employee. Businesses will need to protect the network using network access control solutions inside and out to prevent cyber attacks.

Protect Your Data

Data privacy is more important than ever before. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a tremendous amount of new security technology hit the market. These new technologies produce tons of data that needs to be secured and protected. In order to protect the data being transferred, technology must operate as middleware to help manage these interactions.

Companies Have to Control IoT Use

When IoT was first introduced, companies quickly realized the value it produced –– with manufacturers developing an abundance of solutions. However, it was never addressed how these IoT devices would interact with existing networks. Looking to the future, the IoT market is only expected to grow. Companies have to find a way to control these devices on their network and provide strict guidelines around device governance to eliminate possible threats.

While 2020 was difficult for many industries, it simultaneously accelerated innovation and transformation. We don’t know what’s in store in 2021, but the new year provides a fresh start to apply the lessons we learned in 2020. Preparing for these trends now will help protect your people and business while setting your company up for success.