In cyber security, basics matter, even in 2025 | Computer Weekly

"What a year 2025 has been: Rich in both cyber events and innovations alike. On the latter, not a week has passed without a mention of innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI). I am excited about the innovative ways AI is going to be used to benefit our society; perhaps this is the 4th Industrial Revolution coming. The level of useful innovation in cyber security, despite some questionable claims by certain vendors, will increase in 2026 with new products and services."

"This reinforces my belief that the following first principle still stands: In cyber security, basics matter. The following is my personal list of five postulates in cyber security: Know your business assets We all know the phrase "One cannot protect what one does not know about". The real issue is not "finding assets" but structural mis-governance enabled by unenforced processes, no authoritative inventory, and a culture that tolerates shadow IT."

2025 saw rapid growth in AI-driven innovation alongside numerous cyber events, and useful cyber-security innovation is expected to increase in 2026. Organizations must implement basic security controls effectively to realize value from new technologies. Cyber incidents largely result from neglecting foundational controls such as asset visibility and governance. Asset management failures stem from unenforced processes, absence of an authoritative inventory, and a culture tolerating shadow IT. A federated model is recommended where teams maintain automated configuration inventories integrated into a business-wide CMDB. An authoritative asset list enables accurate vulnerability overlay and effective risk prioritization.

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