Cybersecurity
MDR: keeping a constant watch Most cyberattacks do not start with alarms blaring or systems going oline. They begin quietly with a compromised login, a subtle change in application behaviour or an attacker moving slowly through an environment looking for opportunity. Global breach analysis shows that these early stages o¦en go unnoticed for long periods, and the longer a threat remains hidden, the greater the eventual impact. The IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report confirms that extended detection times are directly linked to higher financial loss and deeper operational disruption. Managed Detection and Response (MDR) serves to identify and stop these threats early. It is not another antivirus tool or alerting platform with a new label. It is a continuously delivered service provided by security professionals who monitor activity across systems, users and devices and respond when something does not look right. Rather than relying on isolated alerts, MDR focuses on behaviour. It looks at how applications normally operate, how users typically access systems and how activity moves through an environment over time. When patterns change in a way that indicates real risk, the threat is investigated and addressed immediately. J2 CEO, John Mc Loughlin says organisations using managed detection services reduce attacker dwell time and respond more eectively to incidents than those relying only on internal teams and automated tools. “At J2, MDR operates in the background, allowing businesses to continue working while security incidents are handled as they emerge. “The service works alongside existing IT teams and security
J2 CEO John Mc Loughlin. tools, strengthening what is already in place rather than replacing it. There is no waiting for internal resources to interpret alerts and no unnecessary noise to slow decision making,” he adds. The objective is simply to detect genuine threats early and stop them before they spread. This approach responds to how attacks operate and how eective security needs to function today. “Cyber security does not have to be complex, and it should not interfere with day-to-day operations. For organisations looking for proactive, human-led protection that fits the way businesses work, Managed Detection and Response is a practical and eective starting point,” McLoughlin says.
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the shortage of cybersecurity talent is most pronounced in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 65% of organisations reporting insuicient skills to achieve their security objec- tives, while 63% of organisations in sub-Saharan Africa face similar constraints. “Developments in AI are reshaping multiple domains, including cybersecurity. When deployed responsibly, these technologies can strengthen cyber defences by supporting faster detection and response. But misused or poorly governed, they can introduce serious risks, from data leaks to cyberattacks,” said Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information and Minister- in-Charge of Cybersecurity & Smart Nation Group, Singapore. “Governments therefore need a forward-looking and collaborative approach to ensure AI enhances cyber resilience while minimising risks that increasingly transcend borders.” The report calls on leaders across sectors to move beyond isolated eorts and commit to raising the collective baseline by sharing intelligence, aligning standards and investing in the capabilities needed to ensure all organisations can benefit from a more secure and resilient digital environment. The survey draws on insights from 804 global business leaders in 92 countries, including 105 CEOs, 316 chief information security oicers and 123 other C-suite executives, including chief technology oicers and chief risk oicers.
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Geopolitics is redefining the global cybersecurity threat landscape: 64% of organisations are now factoring geo-politically motivated attacks into their risk strat- egies and 91% of the largest enterprises are adjusting their cybersecurity posture accordingly. 31% of re- spondents expressed low confidence in their country’s ability to manage major cyber incidents. Confidence levels vary widely, from 84% in the Middle East and North Africa to 13% in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cyber-enabled fraud has become a pervasive glob- al threat: A striking 73% of respondents were or knew someone directly aected in 2025 and CEOs now rank fraud and phishing ahead of ransomware as their top concerns. Supply chains remain a major systemic vulnerability: Among large companies, 65% cite third-party and sup- ply chain risks as their greatest cyber resilience barrier, up from 54% last year. Concentration risk is also inten- sifying, with incidents at major cloud and internet ser- vice providers demonstrating how infrastructure-level failures can trigger widespread downstream impacts across interconnected digital ecosystems. Cyber inequity is widening across regions and sectors: Smaller organisations are twice as likely to report insuf- ficient resilience compared to large firms. Regionally,
For more information visit: www.weforum.org
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