IT Trends and Predictions for 2016 Over the past few years, the IT landscape has been changing. There was a shift to the Cloud and more application hosting online, as businesses started to realize the benefits the Cloud could bring to their organizations as well as help reduce their IT costs. With the shift to virtual environments expected to continue to increase in 2016, investment into cybersecurity to discover vulnerabilities is going to be one of the major IT trends throughout 2016 and beyond. Some of the other predictions and trends for 2016 will be related to cybersecurity risks, while others will be the result of significant technological advancements in 2015. New Partnerships With businesses relying upon third party providers to host web applications, virtual desktops, and other such services, they need reassurance their data and information will be kept secure. Part of the investment into cybersecurity will involve working with providers and other partners, and together discovering where there could be potential vulnerabilities, as well as working together to develop patches and fixes to resolve them. Increased Demand for Cybersecurity Professionals and Analysts Companies could find themselves recruiting top talent in cybersecurity by looking for people who understand how hacking works, as well as how to look for vulnerabilities in Cloud-based applications, access through the Internet, and other such areas where unwanted intrusions are of a concern, not only for consumers, but also the businesses. Businesses have different data sets for different security programs, and will utilize these professionals to combine data sets and gain insight into potential risks, as well as develop new security measures. The Internet of Things (IoT) With the IoT expected to grow in the coming year, companies are going to be investing time and resources into identifying security risks in their products. For those of you who do not know what IoT is, it is incorporating Internet technologies into a wide range of products so they can share data and communicate with each other and their owners. For instance, your refrigerator will be able to send you notifications when you are running low on eggs or your teenager just drank the last of the orange juice. The last thing companies want is someone’s refrigerator being hacked into and having the Internet technologies within the appliance being used to gain access to the owner’s home network, their personal information, or their networked devices. 3D Technologies Become More Affordable 3D printers and related technologies are going to start to become more affordable for businesses and consumers. As a result, companies are going to need to rethink how they deliver products
and services to their customers. For instance, a business selling products online could give consumers the option to print the product instantly at home using their 3D printer, rather than having to wait for it to be shipped. Increase in Cyber Attacks People will be able to access relatively affordable, “how-to-hack” kits, through the Tor networks (“dark/deep web”), allowing more people with basic computer skills the ability to launch their own cyber attacks against businesses. Businesses need to be aware of this so they take the time to reassess their current cybersecurity and take steps to improve it. More Robots and AI (Artificial Intelligence) Companies will be installing more robots and using AI to take care of more mundane tasks. Employees should not worry about being displaced by an automated machine, as employers are going to need employees to perform specific hands-on tasks, as well as those requiring more complex visualizations and reasoning. Businesses will need to determine what areas of IT to invest resources into throughout 2016. It is recommended to continue to take advantage of remote desktop services, while working with the provider to reduce potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities, to be able to stretch IT budgets further.