As we enter the new year, it is important to stop for a moment and look back at the year behind us. As in many other areas, the year 2023 was also turbulent in the field of ensuring security. Globally, the year was certainly marked by armed conflicts and geopolitical frictions, which are present on practically all continents, and threats in the cyber sphere, which remain the main reason for the emergence of gray hair in the business sphere. In the area of Slovenia and the wider EU area, the increasingly pressing issue of migration should be highlighted, while Europe has been shaken by cases of shootings in educational institutions and an increase in cases of terrorism.

What awaits us in 2024?

Modern security threats are characterized by their hybridity and, above all, rapid adaptation to changes in the business environment. Therefore, of course, it is impossible to predict exactly which threats organizations will be most exposed to in 2024. Of course, we can predict the continuation of some trends from 2023.

Cyber Security…

... will also in 2024 represent one of the areas that are necessary in the organization to ensure smooth operations and the long-term existence of the organization. In 2024, special attention should be paid to the role of artificial intelligence in ensuring cyber security - both from the point of view of the development of cyber threats, as well as from the point of view of the development of security solutions. Artificial intelligence will certainly have an increasingly strong influence on the development and quality of social engineering attacks, and artificial intelligence will also have a strong impact on the faster detection and exploitation of various security vulnerabilities.

Considering the types of cyber-security threats, many analysts expect further growth and development of ransomware, misuse of technological solutions in everyday use (for example, QR codes and VR gadgets) and an increase in cases of "hacktivism". In particular, it is worth mentioning the ever-increasing threat of disinformation and deliberate deception in all corners of the world wide web.

Terrorism and AMOK situations...

... will certainly be a threat in 2024 that will require more attention than in 2023. The rise of global frictions, which are largely based on ideological conflicts, will certainly affect the incidence of terrorist threats within the EU. The conflicts in the area of Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, and the recent attacks by the Houthi rebels on merchant ships in the Red Sea do not only cause threats to world trade, but they can also have. butterfly effect and result in a major terrorist attack on the territory of the European Union.

Therefore, in 2024, special attention should be paid to the preparation (or updating) of programs to prevent terrorism and other cases of extreme violence. This is especially true for public institutions, healthcare organizations, critical infrastructure and organizers of public events. Special attention should also be paid to educational institutions. If until now we have followed cases of extreme violence in schools or universities mainly from the distant USA, last year's events in Belgrade and Prague showed that educational institutions in the EU are also exposed to AMOK situations. Although these are isolated incidents so far, such events can often motivate future attackers.

Protection of information and trade secrets...

... is far from a new topic, but we believe that it will become increasingly relevant in 2024. Global friction and polarization of political blocs not only affects physical and cyber security, but also economic security. Ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union has been trying to reduce the economy's dependence on third countries, which leads to the centralization of development and production in the EU area. The gradual reduction of development and production dependence on third (mainly Asian) countries naturally also means less sharing of sensitive business or development information. Therefore, in 2024, IVSR expects an increased number of cases of industrial espionage - both in the cyber and physical spheres.

Development of security solutions...

... will play an extremely important role in shaping personal, organizational and national security in 2024. In Slovenia, we are monitoring the slow modernization of the technical security market, where automated or even autonomous solutions powered by artificial intelligence will play a major role in the coming years. Of course, development is not only limited to technical solutions, but also to security processes. In the vast majority of Slovenian organizations, outdated security processes can be observed, which rather than protecting organizations from real threats, care about the clear conscience of decision-makers - "Of course we care about security, haven't you seen the cameras on the corner?".

So how to successfully manage the security environment in 2024?

Of course, there is no universal recipe. We advise all organizations to carry out a comprehensive analysis of security risks before implementing security measures, on the basis of which they can then make optimal decisions. In addition to the areas mentioned above, attention should also be paid in 2024 to:

• Ensuring compliance.
• Preventing risks in the supply chain.
• Establishment of business continuity systems.

Regular monitoring of the security sphere and an analytical approach to security management should be your guide to successfully managing security risks. Pay particular attention to preventive measures and security solutions that will enable you to quickly identify and manage new threats.