In 2025, businesses are poised for substantial digital transformation driven by increased demands for technologies that enhance both cybersecurity and user efficiency. Gartner predicts that global information security spending is expected to grow by 15% next year, underscoring the pressing need for critical industries to prepare their workforces, systems, and processes for the evolving threat landscape and changing operational demands.
To optimize cybersecurity investments for the unique needs of their workforces, organizations are concentrating on simplifying security approaches through innovations in identity and access management.
Simplifying Security for Frontline Workers
Frontline workers operate under either intense pressure, highly specialized workflows, outcomes-based focus, or a mixture of all three, making operational efficiency essential. Recent studies indicate that while frontline workers represent 80% of the global workforce, half of them feel undervalued and expendable at their jobs, often attributing this to the lack of proper tools and training.
This sense of being expendable often arises from frustration due to inefficient processes that obstruct simple tasks. This frustration is exacerbated by outdated security measures like complex password systems and cumbersome authentication procedures, especially with the increasing use of mobile devices and apps.
These poor-fit technologies create security fatigue along with that frustration among end-users, which leads to shortcuts and mistakes that jeopardize security. A good example of such an outcome that everyone is probably familiar with - using the same passwords across multiple systems and sharing them with others. To enhance security without hindering usability, tools need to be user-friendly and smoothly incorporated into everyday tasks, enabling frontline workers to carry out their responsibilities efficiently and without unnecessary barriers.
The Push Towards Passwordless Authentication
In recent years, passwordless authentication has become recognized as a fundamental aspect of modern security strategies, especially beneficial for frontline workers who need to access multiple systems swiftly under time-sensitive conditions. Considering that credential phishing has surged by 967% since late 2022, it’s clear that passwords pose organizational risk if not managed securely.
By removing traditional passwords, which are often weak and susceptible to theft, methods like biometric verification and security tokens not only bolster security but also improve operational efficiency. Embracing passwordless decreases the risk of credential theft and enables quicker, more reliable access to essential systems, reducing downtime and allowing workers to concentrate on their main tasks.
Enhancing Mobile Efficiency and Security
Modern mobile devices are increasingly replacing traditional workstations, or prior generations of “mobility” solutions to simplify frontline workers' tasks. However, this shift brings challenges like manual logins, which are time-consuming and prone to errors such as password mismanagement or device insecurity. With 54% of organizations reporting data breaches due to unauthorized device access, and the loss of devices costing over $5.45 million annually, current mobile security strategies have proven inadequate in addressing the needs of the future frontline workforce.
To combat these issues, IT and security leaders are implementing identity-centric mobile access strategies. By linking mobile devices to each user's digital identity, organizations can control device usage across different locations and personalize device experiences, enhancing not only security and operational efficiency, but also end-user satisfaction. This approach includes passwordless authentication, single sign-on, device encryption, asset tracking, and remote lock and wipe capabilities, ensuring that security measures support rather than hinder workflows.
The Role of AI Innovation
Almost all organizations (98%) are currently using some form of AI – a trend expected to increase next year. Many are harnessing AI, machine learning (ML), and data analytics to enhance both security and operational efficiency leveraging common data from existing workflow and access trends.
Using AI to analyze existing access data helps organizations pinpoint improvement areas to ensure security measures are effective and minimally disruptive for frontline workers with the least amount of investment and overhead. However, the adoption of AI (particularly GenAI) brings security challenges and vulnerabilities that need addressing – there’s no such thing as a free lunch. When looking to implement any AI technology, organizations are advised to choose vendors with strong data privacy practices, robust encryption, thorough security audits, and transparent access controls to mitigate risks and promote secure, responsible AI usage.
Vendor Security as a Strategic Imperative
Supply chain attacks are becoming more frequent and growing in sophistication, requiring most security programs to pivot their strategy and focus. Just as leveraging a third-party as part of operations or an element of your supply chain can accelerate a business’s ability to execute, so can attacks on these supply chains debilitate business operations and jeopardize the sustainability of our critical infrastructure, as we saw with the Change Healthcare breach earlier this year. Third parties and vendors are crucial to modern business operations but also introduce significant risk and exposure. Over half of organizations (56%) report breaches involving third parties, highlighting the magnitude of the issue in our current environment.
To prepare for supply chain threats, organizations are intensifying efforts to secure vendor and remote access. Organizations are focusing on vendor consolidation and implementing solutions that audit vendor access, automate credential management, and enforce strict access controls to secure interactions and prevent data breaches.
As we approach 2025, it is crucial for organizations to ensure that cybersecurity measures evolve to meet the demands of modern, dynamic work environments. This will guarantee that technologies are effective for both frontline workers and organizational security.
