Beyond firewalls: The future of cybersecurity research

The digital revolution has changed our world forever and it brought technology into our lives in every way. Be it for cross-border commerce, critical infrastructures, communications, or the very bonding of us as societies, all part of the paradigm today seem to take a more “inter-connected” flavor. While this brought ubiquitous connectivity into our lives, it also opened Pandora’s Box, unleashing relentless waves of cyber threats that endanger individuals, organizations and even national security. But as with everything, cybersecurity practitioners must understand the advanced threats as they increase in their level of sophistication and scale, making high-quality and innovative cybersecurity research imperative. The intention of this article is to be forward looking in discussing the major threats facing the industry and presenting fruitful lines of inquiry to navigate this complex and dynamic landscape.