Top Tech Trends for 2022

2021 flew by, and at Current Technologies, we hope it was a very prosperous year for you and yours. As the first week of 2022 is in our rearview mirror, it is a great time to start looking at what technology trends are going to shape 2022. Whether it is tech that has been “emerging” for years finally making the breakthrough to being mainstream or unheard-of tech that is just starting to emerge, we are going to cover it in this article.

There is one trend that underlines every one of these trending technologies - Trust.

The context of the word trust in the IT world has changed over the years. Sometimes focused on trust in the use of data, trust that your system is secure, or the fundamental need to trust that organizations that you give your info to are doing the right things with it. One thing is clear though, the ongoing pace of technological innovation needs to be matched with an equal level of trust from everybody involved. That leads us perfectly into our first major trend of 2022-

Zero Trust IT Policies

A lot of organizations are implementing Zero Trust policies. Zero Trust is a strategic approach to cybersecurity that secures an organization by eliminating implicit trust and continuously validating every stage of digital interactions.

Zero trust doesn’t imply that you don’t trust your employees, it just allows you to hide the applications on your network from unwanted onlookers.

What zero trust actually means is that the security profile for each device and application connecting to a network is independently evaluated each time it connects.
Access gets restricted to only trusted users and devices via specific gateways (only with pre-assigned permissions). In this setup, your network automatically assumes that everybody is an unwanted onlooker until the correct passwords and authentication have been met, at which point the network then trusts that user. This is done every time somebody logs in to ensure that only people with the correct credentials are on your network.

The COVID-19 pandemic has played a role here too, as much more flexible work has seen more devices previously used within the organization’s walls connected remotely over the public internet.

Universally Connected Across Hybrid Environments

IT Architecture has become so good that it is effectively invisible. Whether it is a consumer using their mobile phone to online shop, or security personnel monitoring live video streams, the technology architecture used to deliver services has become invisible. It does not matter where the processing takes place, everything is simply connected.

When on-premise servers, edge technologies, and the cloud are combined, and each employed to its strengths, it creates a strong hybrid solution that allows for the most efficient delivery of services.

The smartphone revolution has gotten to the point where people want to be able to control everything from their phone. In order for that to happen, all of your devices have to be connected. Hybrid environments are the best way to do that.

Authenticate Everything

While taking a zero-trust approach to cybersecurity is focused on authenticating the credentials of connected devices and applications, the question of how to do that remains.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) has been a buzzword for years, but we believe in 2022 almost everything will be secured with MFA.

Multi-factor authentication is an electronic authentication method in which a user is granted access to a website or application only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence to an authentication mechanism: knowledge, possession, and inherence.
A common example is, after entering your password, you will receive a code texted to your cell phone that you have to input before being granted access.

The school of thought here is that the more ways you can authenticate that it is actually you logging in, the more secure your network will be.

The three categories of MFA are something you know (passwords, pin numbers, security answers), something you have (token, smart card), or something you are (fingerprint, retina scans, biometrics). The biometrics portion of MFA is not something you will see trending in 2022, but as technology advances, it will be the most secure way to authenticate individuals.

Privacy Enhancing Computation

Privacy Enhancing Computation secures the processing of personal data in untrusted environments — which is increasingly critical due to evolving privacy and data protection laws as well as growing consumer concerns.

Privacy-enhancing computation utilizes a variety of privacy-protection techniques to allow value to be extracted from data while still meeting compliance requirements. Check out Gartner’s full list of ways to enhance computer privacy here.

Data Sharing Made Easy

A host of new technologies promise to simplify the mechanics of data sharing across and between organizations while preserving privacy. As part of the growing trend, organizations are unlocking more value from their own data while leveraging the enormous volumes of externally sourced data that, traditionally, has been off-limits. This opens up brand new avenues of data-driven opportunities.

This change was spurred on by the Covid-19 Pandemic when healthcare agencies were sharing their own data for the common good. That transformed into researchers, drug makers, and pharmaceutical companies sharing their data to help develop treatments and vaccinations.

While this sharing was essentially forced on these companies due to the need to combat the pandemic, working towards a common goal while retaining any intellectual property is a win-win for all businesses involved.

AI Becomes Established & Accepted (With Appropriate Controls)

It would be irresponsible to write a tech trends blog without mentioning artificial intelligence (AI). However, it can be argued that AI is no longer a trend and more of an accepted staple in technology. We are all using, and being exposed to, valuable AI and deep learning-based services on a daily basis now.

While we are still positive about the potential AI and deep learning bring to tech and especially video surveillance, it is important to have the proper legislation and regulations in place to prevent bad eggs from maliciously using this technology. We expect to see a great focus on initiatives to ensure that AI is being implemented ethically in 2022.

Blockchain… for Business?

Cryptocurrencies and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) have captured the splashy media headlines, but these and other blockchain technologies are making waves in the enterprise. Like the current TCP/IP protocols that provide underlying support to enterprise network communications, shared ledgers could eventually become an integral foundation for business operations.

According to Deloitte, some use cases gaining traction include:

• Self-sovereign data and digital personal identity. Leveraging blockchain and other DLT platforms for secure storage and management, users can establish ownership over their personal data and create and control their own tamper-proof digital identities. This can enhance the security of personally identifiable information and prevent the creation of counterfeit or stolen identities. Applications include contact tracing, electronic health records and credentials, and electronic voting.

• Trusted data-sharing among third parties. Data access and sharing among third parties are typically restricted due to technology silos and privacy concerns. Private blockchain platforms enable organizations to securely interact with and exchange data, ensuring that verified, trusted third parties have only the specific levels of data access needed. Without sacrificing data integrity or privacy, organizations can share data across company and industry boundaries and enhance collaboration and trust among ecosystem partners.

• Grant funding. For both funding agencies and grantees, blockchain platforms can help reduce the administrative burden associated with monitoring and reporting financial and performance results. One study of federal agency initiatives found that using blockchain to make, track, and monitor grant payments enhanced the quality and transparency of grant reporting and improved the efficiency of payments and reporting.

• Intercompany accounting. Intercompany clearance and settlement—especially for large global organizations or those with numerous legal entities—often involve multiple enterprise resource planning systems, spreadsheets, and manual processes; reconciliation frequently is delayed for many weeks after the transaction is complete. Blockchain platforms can improve traceability and transparency of intercompany transfers accounting, especially in mergers and acquisitions, by validating and creating a shared, immutable record of transfers.

• Supply chain transparency. In today’s global supply chain, blockchain platforms can improve product tracking and traceability to reduce counterfeit products and illegal or inferior ingredients and components; and help governments enforce tariffs and trade policies. It can also help track assets and shipments, allowing for more transparency throughout the procurement process, from purchase orders and logistics to invoicing and payments.

2022 will no doubt hold new use cases for all of these technologies listed above. Which ones survive and which ones go by the wayside, we are yet to see. However, as always, we are looking forward to seeing the ways that technology can help improve people’s work, and by association, their lives. While we know that the year will bring challenges, we are optimistic that these challenges bring even bigger opportunities!