The biggest cybersecurity challenge in 20 years from now, I believe is the same as it is today: keep the software and technology up to date. You must be almost completing the next update by the time you finish launching the newest one. The reason is this: as soon as the tech is created, someone is trying to exploit it in some way. The longer the tech is out there, the more time someone has, to crack the code. Keeping networks and software up to date will be imperative. As we speak, way more systems than one might expect are running off of dinosaur-era platforms and are incredibly vulnerable to cyberattacks. And it’s not just some old “Mom and Pop store” websites. In 2019, regarding the ballot machines, Senator Klobuchar said “Forty states rely on electronic voting systems that are at least 10 years old”. South Carolina is in the midst of getting new voting machines because the ones they have now run on Windows XP. Microsoft stopped patching that over half a decade ago! If we’re struggling to keep things up to date now, in our government no less, it’s easy to infer that we will all still have the same issue in 20 years.

One of the ways we can attempt to combat this issue is by having policy makes include keeping platforms somewhat up to date. Or, have a security certificate, which one earns by qualifying with up to date software  and whatnot. As an incentive, those who do not could potentially be fined; or they may lose the certificate. And while losing the certificate may not shut you down, it might bring up warnings about going on and accessing said information. Now, I know security certificates are already in use for the internet, and an individual’s security software should pick up on it; but these certificates would hopefully not need security software to know about.

Honestly, there’s no easy way to fix this issue. Time never slows, or takes a break, so with the numbers of professionals in the cyber professional field today, mitigating this problem is impossible. So, the only way to be better prepared for 2040 is to try to get as many people as possible to train in cybersecurity, and programming, and the like. We are at a deficit as it is, and sorely need manpower. The demand is only going to increase in the foreseeable future. Advertise more strongly starting in middle school, and sell it hard, like the military. The job is just as important, especially in today’s modern era. In fact, most, if not all military communications and strategies use technology of some sort. Solid cybersecurity is vital to the foundation, safety, and infrastructure of this nation.

Sources

https://www.rollcall.com/2019/05/21/americans-may-vote-in-2020-using-old-unsecured-machines/

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-machines-risk-where-we-stand-today