Michela Menting
Senior Research Director
Read More
Topics Covered
Latest Insights
Latest Research
Michela Menting In The News
Bis Infotech (2023-09-29)
Michela Menting, Senior Research Director at ABI Research, said, “While the global outlook is slow to recover, 5G demand relentlessly continues. Accompanied by a maturation of security requirements in standards development and industry consortia, the market for secure software and services is incr...
Citation
The Techstreet Now (2023-09-28)
Michela Menting, Senior Research Director at ABI Research said, “While the global outlook is slow to recover, 5G demand relentlessly continues. Accompanied by a maturation of security requirements in standards development and industry consortia, the market for secure software and services is increasingly better defined. Network equipment operators and cybersecurity vendors are marketing advanced XDR and network security solutions, all targeted at the telcos who are actively positioning enterprise security solutions for 5G deployments.”
Citation
Tech Target (2023-09-13)
Blockchain gives individuals unprecedented control over their digital data. "In a world where data is a very valuable commodity, the technology inherently protects the data that belongs to you while allowing you to control it," said Michela Menting, senior research director at ABI Research. Individuals and organizations can decide what pieces of their digital data they want to share and with whom and for how long, with limits enforced by blockchain-based smart contracts.
Citation
CyberSecurity Dive (2023-09-06)
“This is definitely a pattern of continued risk that customers of IAM and SSO solutions need to seriously take into account,” Michela Menting, senior research director at ABI Research, said via email.
Citation
Campus Technology (2023-06-27)
ABI Research recently released a startling statistic: Malware targeting IoT devices climbed 700% during the pandemic.
"Knowing that security is critical to the success of IoT projects is important, but beyond that, the key is understanding how that security should be deployed to achieve a good return on investment, both from a risk reduction and business optimization perspective," said Michela Menting, senior research director at ABI, in a prepared statement. "It's easy to throw money at the problem, but without careful planning and management, the potential of security technologies ends up wasted, with organizations footing the bill for sub-par value."
Citation
Cybersecurity Dive (2023-06-27)
“What stands out the most is the slow reveal of companies who have been affected,” Michela Menting, senior research director at ABI Research, said via email. “Either they have only just discovered the leak, or they’ve been covering up the incident — either way, that reflects poor cyber hygiene.”
Citation
CSO (2023-05-23)
“Products such as Axiado’s TCU are important developments in the market, as they answer a specific need for high-level and multi-function hardware security demands for data center technology,” said Michela Menting, senior research director at ABI Research. “Single-chip implementations provide a better cost-benefit ratio than having to implement different hardware components for different use cases—storage vs crypto acceleration vs ransomware identification.”
Citation
Mobile Europe (2023-05-11)
“Numerous existing solutions in the traditional cybersecurity market can secure 5G networks, data and devices. The critical success factor is to ensure that these technologies are adapted to the new context and can work with the architectural requirements defined by 5G standards,” explained Michela Menting, Telco Cybersecurity Research Director at ABI Research.
Citation
Communications Today (2023-05-11)
“Numerous existing solutions in the traditional cybersecurity market can secure 5G networks, data, and devices. The critical success factor is to ensure that these technologies are adapted to the new context and can work with the architectural requirements defined by 5G standards,” explains Michela Menting, Telco Cybersecurity Research Director at ABI Research.
Citation
EE Times Asia (2023-03-14)
Shipments for secure hardware serving digital authentication and embedded security will reach 5.3 billion by 2024, doubling the number of shipments in 2019, according to ABI Research. “Hardware-based security offers better protection from manipulation and interference than its software-based counterpart because it’s more difficult to alter or attack the physical device or data entry points,” said Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research.
Citation
EE Times (2023-01-30)
Shipments for secure hardware serving digital authentication and embedded security will reach 5.3 billion by 2024, doubling the number of shipments in 2019, according to ABI Research. “Hardware-based security offers better protection from manipulation and interference than its software-based counterpart because it’s more difficult to alter or attack the physical device or data entry points,” said Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research.
Citation
Cybersecurity Dive (2023-01-24)
“Breaches generally go undetected for so long simply because the victim organization is not well protected,” Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research, said via email.
Citation
Future IoT (2023-01-12)
While the forecasted total available market has contracted, especially in the smart home, retail, advertising, and supply chain spaces, secure MCU shipments will only be temporarily adversely affected. ABI Research forecasts the secure microcontrollers market will grow to US$2.2 billion by 2026.
ABI Research’s trusted device solutions research director, Michela Menting, attributes this to the niche nature of security demand which commands a higher value proposition.
Citation
DigiTimes Asia (2023-01-06)
Despite facing an increasingly volatile semiconductor industry plagued by ongoing macroeconomic and political issues, the secure microcontroller (MCU) market should fare well in the long term.
Citation
EE TImes Asia (2023-01-06)
“In part, this is due to the niche nature of security demand which commands a higher value proposition,” said Michela Menting, Trusted Device Solutions Research Director at ABI Research. “In the short term, supply chain issues due to trade embargoes and pandemic quarantines at manufacturing sites will affect availability. Yet, demand for security, especially in general purpose microcontrollers, will ensure the secure MCU market continues to be a high priority for device OEMs.”
Citation
CNN (2022-11-13)
Michela Menting, a digital security director at market research firm ABI Research, agreed that social media platforms are “offering very little of substance to counter the ills their platforms incur.” Their solutions, she said, put the onus on guardians to activate various parental controls,such as those intended to filter, block and restrict access, and more passive options, such as monitoring and surveillance tools that run in the background.
Citation
Tech Register (2022-09-24)
oaring interest rates, looming food and energy shortages, a devastating and needless war, and the changing nature of work are creating an especially challenging climate.
ABI Research says these headwinds are pushing security higher on the enterprise priority list as organisations seek cost-effective and agile cryptographic applications to protect increasingly distributed and ephemeral corporate assets.
In response, hardware security modules are changing rapidly to meet these new demands.
Michela Menting
“The Hardware Security Module (HSM) market was already on track for a shake-up, as new business models and new competitors vied to take advantage of emerging opportunities around enterprise digital transformation and cloud migration,” states Michela Menting, cybersecurity applications research director at ABI Research.
Citation
Communications Today (2022-09-23)
“The Hardware Security Module (HSM) market was already on track for a shake-up, as new business models and new competitors vied to take advantage of emerging opportunities around enterprise digital transformation and cloud migration,” states Michela Menting, Cybersecurity Applications Research Director at ABI Research. “Today, enterprises are tightening budgets amid worries about their business stemming from high inflation and a potential recession. For HSM vendors, the market opportunity is clearly within the cloud, as enterprises are going to opt out of owning expensive HSMs in favor of Operational Expenditure (OPEX) service-based models.”
Citation
VentureBeat (2022-07-20)
Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research, told VentureBeat that this is part of an industry trend from silicon IP firms to add support for various security primitives directly into their chip design libraries. Silicon security provides better security than software alone because it is more difficult for hackers to penetrate.
Citation
CyberSecurity Dive (2022-07-07)
“This migration is a sign that the gang is maturing, requiring more technical expertise and new skills to create ever more sophisticated ransomware,” said Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research.
Citation
CNN (2022-06-27)
But Michela Menting, a research director at global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, said it is "quite concerning" that parents have to take on this role. "It shows a total lack of regulation engaging the liability of social media providers and digital platforms to police exploitative content," she said. "It shows a willful ignorance of the very well-known dangers of the cyber-world for minors."
These factors enable problematic content to endure on the site, Menting added.
Citation
TelecomTV (2022-06-15)
So far so good, but other industry experts list many more obstacles to a QKD future. Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research, told TelecomTV there are a few major deployment challenges for quantum-secured networking, particularly range (as the current distance is approximately 100km, with some pilots reaching 300-400km), and moving beyond point-to-point architectures.
“Transmission beyond 100km requires the use of repeaters, at least for fibre optics, at least every 2km to 50km of optical fibre. These will be necessary to be able to deploy quantum networks and connect multiple senders and receivers and, in time, to create a quantum internet,” she explained.
And, because commercialisation of repeaters is still in its early days, price points are in the $25,000 to $50,000 range, making it “rather prohibitive”. She added: “Vendors not only have to provide affordable photon detectors and create quantum repeaters for fixed-line communications, they also need to solve degradation issues over long distances, both in ground and air communication links.”
Citation
Cybersecurity Dive (2022-05-31)
After Conti isolated itself with Russia it felt emboldened to lash out at other governments, but the backlash has been tough for the group, Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research, wrote in an email.
Citation
Tech Target (2022-05-13)
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, there will be ramifications for data protection in the U.S. as companies could likely receive requests to hand over data, said Michela Menting, digital security research director at global technology intelligence firm ABI Research.
Citation
Parents Magazine (2022-05-09)
Pin
FB
More
Woman tracking periods by using menstrual calendar app on phone
CREDIT: GETTY
Whether you're trying to conceive, prefer a natural form of birth control, or have been dealing with wonky periods that simply do not come like clockwork, there are copious reasons you might track your cycle. And there are plenty of apps for that—many of which have been around since basically the inception of smart devices. Many have purported to make this process effortless for anyone who's interested in keeping tabs on their cycle. But in light of the news of the leaked draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that signals the majority of the Supreme Court is ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, creators on TikTok have pointed out that the data these trackers collect could potentially be used against app users.
RELATED: The 8 Best Period and Ovulation Tracker Apps for Getting Pregnant
Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at global technology intelligence firm, ABI Research, says period trackers and other apps, like fertility and pregnancy trackers, are "absolutely going to compromise" users' privacy. "Period tracker apps may seem innocuous today, but they will be one of the tools leveraged to surveille and report on [users] if Roe v. Wade is overturned," she points out.
Here, Menting and other experts share the basics on period trackers, how to practice "digital defense" to guard your privacy, and why it may be best to take matters into your own hands.
Citation
Cybersecurity Dive (2022-05-05)
“The most stealthy harmful method used is the least surprising, and perhaps not so sophisticated after all, which is their targeting of unsecured operational technologies,” Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research, wrote in an email. “Ultimately, they are after the weakest link in an organization’s defenses.”
Citation
Tom's Guide (2022-04-03)
Michela Menting, digital security research director at global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, said there are two main types of cryptocurrency scams: one is a traditional scam that demands payment in cryptocurrency, and the other is a crypto-specific fake investment or venture.
Citation
Entrepreneur (2022-03-08)
Michela Menting, Research Director at ABI Research famously said: “The success of Blockchain in fintech has prompted significant investment in deploying the underlying infrastructure for application development and testing in other industries. Tech giants such as IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, SAP, HPE, and Oracle, among others, are pushing Blockchain-as-a-Service for first movers, often enabling integration with their existing enterprise software and cloud services.”
Citation
IT Brief (2022-01-26)
The Hardware Security Module (HSM) market is niche, specialised, and hard to penetrate, but it is on track for expansion, according to new research from ABI Research.
Increased focus on service capabilities, driven by enterprise digital transformation strategies, including cloud demand and IoT growth, is intensifying demand in new applications and delivery models. ABI Research forecasts the market to hit over one billion dollars in revenues by 2024.
"Users of HSM products have traditionally been driven to purchase by regulation compliance requirements (notably payment transaction and data protection legislation), as well as the protection of large business assets (users and systems)," says Michela Menting, cyber and digital security research director at ABI Research.
Citation
Tech Target (2021-12-21)
"Data security is important in IoT because it is the data that is the most valuable asset, more so even than the device itself," said Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research.
The value of IoT data varies based on the use cases. For example, some IoT deployments regularly generate temperature data for produce in the grocery supply chain. More complex implementations, such as IoT analytics, might monitor and adjust the operation of an IoT device fleet over time. Healthcare IoT often handles critical patient data. Organizations must also consider privacy laws and other regulations that may protect some types of IoT data, Menting said.
"To threat actors, the value of IoT data is the one ascribed to it by the legitimate user [or] operator of that IoT device. That's what makes it an attractive target for threat actors," she explained. "Therefore, data security is very important because interference or theft of that data could have significant repercussions: loss of business [or] reputation, costs for incident response and more dangerous sometimes, an effect on physical systems and operations."
Citation
EE Times (2021-12-17)
“Communication service providers are buying the solutions required primarily from network equipment providers and pure-play cybersecurity vendors,” said Michela Menting, ABI’s digital security research director. “In time, other specialized third parties will penetrate the market as CSPs move towards 5G stand-alone.” That’s a reference to 5G networks that no longer rely on LTE backups, but rather link 5G radios with cloud-native 5G core networks.
Citation
E Commerce Times (2021-11-02)
Targeted ads are particularly lucrative on smartphones because of the rich nature and amount of user data that can be collected on those platforms, noted Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research, a global technology intelligence firm.
"Smartphones are much more widely used than laptops or PCs for consumers, and also very personal," she told TechNewsWorld.
"The targeted ads market is one that very much happens behind the scenes, and hidden as much as possible from consumers," she continued.
"This speaks volumes about the fact that in the targeted ad business, most stakeholders are aware that this is not a big selling point for users," she said. "Barring transparent action by those in that value chain -- social media platforms, smartphone OEMs, marketers -- the business is one that is likely worth billions in revenue."
Citation
CNN (2021-10-02)
Some experts say the illicit trade in vaccine cards and digital passports is to be expected. "Not everyone has access to the vaccine; rollouts are slow in many countries, and people are tired of lockdowns and curfews," said Michela Menting, who covers cybersecurity for ABI Research.
"If people can easily get hold of a fake passport to avoid restrictions, then they will, and an illicit market will spring up around it."
Citation
IoT Now (2021-09-22)
Global tech market advisory firm ABI Research forecasts that by 2026, Internet of Things (IoT) cellular connections will number more than more than 3 billion. 4G LTE and LPWA networks will bear the brunt of these new connections and drive a US$8 billion market for IoT security services, says the firm.
The opportunity to deliver secure IoT communications on these networks will be key to the successful deployment of connected things on a global scale, and for the eventual transition to 5G New Radio (NR). As such, the security industry is amid significant new technology developments to provide secure cellular connectivity solutions to IoT stakeholders across the board.
With the emergence of new cellular standards such as NB-IoT, LTE-M and 5G MMTC, there is a dynamic opportunity to create new platform solutions focused on network security to enhance trust in IoT deployments. “Specifically, new target markets will emerge that will require dedicated point solutions and customised service offerings for communication service providers and enterprises directly.
Citation
Semiconductor Engineering (2021-09-15)
While the term smart city groups everything under a single banner, most of these services are separate. “Smart city is not a single application,” said Michela Menting, digital security and blockchain research director at ABI Research. “It includes multiple verticals, including energy/utility, asset and location tracking, smart parking, smart streetlights, intelligent transportation, healthcare/ emergency, retail/entertainment/hotel, and more.”
Citation
TechRadar (2021-09-10)
“An expanded threat landscape, new standard-defined security protocols, and the potential for revenue generation through the sale of value-added security services all combine to drive a dynamic and highly competitive security market for cellular IoT protection,” said Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research.
Citation
EE Times (2021-09-09)
New York-based ABI Research estimates more than 3 billion IoT cellular connections by 2026, initially via 4G and low-power, wide-area networks. That in turn is expected to fuel demand for IoT security defenses in the range of $8 billion by 2026 as more 5G networks are deployed, many driven by IoT and other edge computing rollouts.
Citation
CNN Espanol (2021-08-11)
"Si la gente puede conseguir fácilmente un pasaporte falso para evitar restricciones, entonces lo hará, y surgirá un mercado ilícito a su alrededor", dijo Michela Menting, que cubre ciberseguridad para ABI Research.
Citation
CNN (2021-07-09)
Although many Windows users don't have remote access capabilities on their home computers, business computers or people working remotely and connecting back to the office could be most affected, according to Michela Menting, a cybersecurity expert at ABI Research.
Citation
Technology For You (2021-06-23)
Creating secure IoT devices can be difficult due the breadth and variety of form factors available on the market, which makes for a fragmented ecosystem where security standardization is difficult. Today, security solutions are increasingly designed directly into IoT devices, whether they are resource-constrained or multi-function smart devices. Global tech market advisory firm ABI Research expects growing adoption of developer-friendly on-device security architectures, such as runtime protection and secure execution environments, at affordable prices for IoT markets.
“Traditionally, IoT device security has been implemented at the network level, mostly because security functions are either too complex, resource-intensive, or costly to integrate. However, such arguments are less convincing today,” says Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research. “Growth in edge native security architectures has seen significant improvements in both hardware and software, which are cost-effective, have low overheads, use less bandwidth, and can even provide local analytics for an automated response. These capabilities enable IoT device security at scale in a way that is not only cost-sensitive but also adds value.”
Citation
Tech Target (2021-06-02)
lockchain enables an unprecedented amount of individual control over one's own digital data, experts said. "In a world where data is a very valuable commodity, the technology inherently protects the data that belongs to you while allowing you to control it," said Michela Menting, a research director at ABI Research. Individuals and individual organizations can decide what pieces of their digital data they want to share and with whom and for how long, with limits enforced by blockchain-enabled smart contracts.
Citation
Israel Defense (2021-05-21)
The recent ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline, which delivers almost half of the fuel used on the east coast of the U.S., is seen as demonstrating the consequences of leaving gaping holes in cybersecurity postures, especially amid increasing attacks on critical infrastructures worldwide.
A failure as big as that of Colonial Pipeline simply shows an obvious willful ignorance to take cybersecurity seriously, said Michela Menting, digital security research director for U.S.-based tech market advisory firm ABI Research.
Citation
Future CIO (2021-05-19)
The Colonial Pipeline is the largest pipeline system for refine oil products in the U.S. and supplying 45% of the fuel needs of the East Coast, including gasoline, diesel, home heating oil, jet fuel, and military supplies.
So when it succumbs to a ransomware attack, it is a wakeup call not only to the management of the US$1.39 billion (annual revenue in 2021) company, it is a reminder to every organisation of the real threat that dropping the cybersecurity ball can mean to the organisation, its employees, partners and customers.
Michela Menting
ABI Research‘s digital security research director Michela Menting warns that any company (especially one with upwards of $500 million in annual revenues) that is not prepared for such attacks has clearly been purposefully skimping on basic cybersecurity tools, training, and strategy
Citation
CNN Business (2021-05-16)
"More than an actual criminal mastermind, he was what you would classify as a 'lone actor' as opposed to an organized crime syndicate or state sponsored actor," said Michela Menting, a research director at market research firm ABI Research. "His motivations appeared to be quite personal. ... He obviously had strong feelings about AIDS and AIDS research."
While the reasons for his act are unknown, Popp made a big effort to clear his name and moved on to other pursuits, Menting said. He self-published a self-help book called "Popular Evolution," for instance, in which he advocated that the marriage age be lowered and young women focus their lives on birthing children.
Citation
CNN Business (2021-05-14)
"Ransomware groups evolve their tactics generally when they see that cybersecurity tools can counter them," said Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research. Some security researchers have tools to decrypt ransomware, but they're not always reliable because many ransomware versions exist.
Citation
Backend News (2021-04-25)
More connected devices mean more opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit. But ABI Research said it also presents revenue opportunities for cybersecurity solutions vendors to ensure productivity and business continuity.
ABI Research’s whitepaper, “Connected & Protected: The Vulnerabilities and Opportunities of IoT Security,” the global tech market advisory firm underscores the role of vendors in addressing the “looming security gaps” that the 23 billion devices in 2026 will bring. Currently, there are 8.6 billion Internet of Things (IoT) connections.
“Security gaps run the gamut from devices that are incapable of being secured to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and vendors often choosing to accept the risk rather than remediate it, as well as functional safety-type IoT devices that prioritize availability and cannot simultaneously ensure confidentiality,” said Michela Menting, research director, Digital Security, ABI Research. “There are limited IoT security solutions in the market, due in large part to the fragmented nature of the IoT itself.”
Citation
Electronics 360 (2021-04-22)
nternet of things (IoT) connections are expected to boom in the next five years reaching 23.6 billion, tripling from just 8.6 billion today, according to new data from ABI Research.
While this will bring with it new profits for those involved, security issues remain a challenge and looming security gaps offer a tremendous revenue potential for players in IoT security.
"Concerns about security of the internet of things are widespread," said Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research. "There are limited IoT security solutions in the market, due in large part to the fragmented nature of the IoT itself.”
Citation
TelecomTV (2021-03-31)
ABI Research claims that the cloud-native nature of 5G networks means they will have both a “disruptive and positive impact” on the cybersecurity industry. It calculates that network security represents a £9 billion enterprise market opportunity for 5G network operators since the networks will offer a safer home for security offerings because of 5G’s cloud native virtualization, API-driven platforms and its ‘isolation’ capabilities, thanks to the use of containers and network slicing. It all adds up to "significant opportunities for IT cybersecurity offerings to find applications in 5G,” the advisory firm maintains. “Both security software and services will be in demand from enterprises looking to leverage trusted mMTC (massive machine-type-communications' ) and URLLC (Ultra reliable low latency communications) applications.”
It says that initially, security spending will be dominated by CSPs themselves looking to secure their networks and new next gen services. But having done so the researchers expect 5G network operators to turn their attention to the enterprise market where they can package up their learnings and extend security services as an offering, perhaps with the help of network equipment providers and ‘pure play’ security vendors.
“There is serious potential to explore opex delivered security models through the cloud once requirements around performance and latency can be met. CSPs, notably Tier Ones, are keen to attract security-sensitive industries to 5G and this is driving them to integrate security software and services into their 5G networks,” says Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research.
Citation
CNN Business (2021-03-23)
Some experts say illegal markets around vaccine cards and digital passports are inevitable. "Not everyone has access to the vaccine; roll-outs are slow in many countries, and people are tired of lock-downs and curfews," said Michela Menting, who covers cybersecurity for ABI Research. "If people can easily get hold of a fake passport to avoid restrictions, then they will, and an illicit market will spring up around it."
Citation
CNN Business (2021-03-18)
"There are all kinds of issues related to potential identity theft," said Michela Menting, a research director who specializes in cybersecurity at tech market advisory firm ABI Research. "Individuals should be as wary of posting vaccine records information as they would be about posting their credit card numbers online."
Citation
Help Net Security (2021-02-16)
Most of the cybersecurity spending announced by governments has not changed significantly however, with most maintaining similar funding planned in previous years, with an average Year-on-Year growth rate between 5% and 10%.
According to a report by ABI Research, cybersecurity spending for critical infrastructure (CI) will increase by $9 billion over the next year to reach $105.99 billion in 2021.
Secure connectivity has become a key focus
The primary challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic has been for CI operators to ensure that systems and services keep running smoothly, despite an increasingly remote workforce. As such, greater emphasis has been placed on ensuring that infrastructure operations can be securely monitored and managed remotely by authorized personnel.
Citation
Material Handling and Logistics (2021-01-08)
The strong growth in industrial blockchain revenue is due to the fact is due to the adaptation of those applications that have not been impacted significantly by the volatility of the broader blockchain market in the last two years. So despite, global blockchain revenues falling 35% between 2018 and 2020, industrial blockchain revenues specifically have grown by 131%, according to a recent report from ABI Research.
The firm estimates that 2020 revenues for this category will hit $374 million.
Looking head ABI research says that by 2022 revenues will hit $1 billion and then double by 2025.
“The key vertical markets expected to thrive are primarily around food and beverage, where the most successful pilots and projects have emerged,” explains Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research in a statement. “The tracking and tracing of these products have become a popular business case, due in large part to the ability of distributed ledgers, combined with industrial IoT sensors, to safeguard against common issues such as perishability, contamination, cold chain, freshness, etc. Certainly, blockchain provides an ideal solution for transparency within the long supply chain dealing in this sector.”
Citation
Food Logistics (2020-12-17)
Blockchain is in a slump, with almost half its 2018 market value wiped out in 2020. But the silver lining in that downfall has been the resiliency of industrial applications, not least in the Agri-Food market, which has dominated blockchain success stories. ABI Research expects industrial blockchain revenues to grow six-fold in the next five years, reaching $2.1 billion globally by 2025.
“Supply chain implementations have been particularly successful and are having the greatest impact on the agri-food industry,” explains Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research. “Combined with digital transformation efforts and IoT technologies, numerous blockchain-based platforms are moving into the production phase, paving the way for adoption into manufacturing, retail, and utilities markets. Transportation, shipping, distribution, and storage are key verticals for blockchain, and especially as they concern supply chain management, logistics, location and tracking, asset and inventory management.”
Citation
The Block (2020-12-02)
IT vendors seeking to convince CIOs and CTOs about their blockchain-related solutions have been challenged by an apparent shift in market perception. Distributed ledger technology hype reached a peak and as a result, the upside growth potential had fallen significantly.
Global blockchain revenues fell by 35 percent between 2018 and 2020. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, the potential loss could have reached $2.8 billion.
Moreover, the reported ‘crypto winter’ of 2018 removed 80 percent of the aggregate market cap, and more than 2,000 cryptocurrencies collapsed. However, that market correction was enlightening.
Blockchain market development
This dampened overall blockchain adoption significantly in other markets, with many startups folding and different verticals showing a distinct lack of market adoption. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on investment opportunities and appetite for new blockchain applications.
That said, according to the ABI assessment, this dramatic dip in revenue will likely be short-lived. These adverse events culled much of the IT vendor hype and effectively ended the prior blockchain market speculation.
“Many speculative offerings were purged from the marketplace. However, this will be relatively beneficial for the blockchain ecosystem overall, strengthening existing startups and ensuring sounder and more valuable business models emerge over the next few years. ABI Research expects the market to get back to 2018 revenue levels by 2023,” said Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research. The vertical markets poised to take advantage of the new traction are those where successful business use cases are currently applied. The pandemic has had some positive impacts on select blockchain applications, most notably supply chain and logistics management — due in part to the international scramble for medical systems and personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies.
Citation
IT Brief (2020-11-10)
However, ABI Research says that the revenue drop will not last long. Existing companies operating in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space now have less competition in the market because many speculative offerings were removed from the marketplace during the crypto winter and COVID-19 pandemic.
ABI Research digital security research director Michela Menting says that more sound business models may also emerge.
“ABI Research expects the market to get back to 2018 revenue levels by 2023,” says Menting.
Citation
Coin Geek (2020-11-10)
ABI Research, which published the report, estimates that the blockchain market has lost $2.8 billion in the past two years. Following the 2018 digital currency winter, over 2,000 token projects collapsed. This dampened blockchain adoption for many enterprises that began to have doubts about the long-term suitability of the technology.
However, according to ABI Research’s Michela Menting, this was a blessing in disguise.
She stated, “Many speculative offerings were purged from the marketplace. However, this will be relatively beneficial for the blockchain ecosystem overall, strengthening existing startups and ensuring sounder and more valuable business models emerge over the next few years.”
Citation
Tech Digest (2020-10-29)
In its new whitepaper, The 36 Transformative Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2021, global tech market advisory firm ABI Research highlights the lesser-known stats that illuminate the direction in which digital transformation is truly heading.
Citation
Technology (2020-10-29)
ABI Research reveals the staggering numbers in technology forecasting for the next half decade
Citation
TechTarget (2020-08-28)
"Many IoT devices lack basic security functionalities, whether that is embedded hardware security, or security software due either to low capacity, low computing resources [or] limited battery. This means they can be easily subverted or intercepted," Menting said.
Hackers can use the lack of embedded security as an entry into corporate networks, where privilege escalation gets them more restricted access to more sensitive information.
The vulnerability and the overall increase in the number of IoT devices further entices bad actors' efforts to hack or target devices for botnets and denial-of-service or distributed denial-of-service attacks, Menting said.
Citation
IoT 2 Market (2020-06-24)
In the ongoing push for more secure IoT devices and applications, the hardware choices for embedded security are growing dynamically.
ABI Research forecasts shipments for secure hardware serving digital authentication and embedded security will reach 5.3 billion by 2024, double the number of shipments in 2019.
Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research, explains:
“Hardware-based security offers better protection from manipulation and interference than its software-based counterpart because it’s more difficult to alter or attack the physical device or data entry points. Yet, less than 10% of IoT devices are currently being protected with hardware security.”
Fortunately, hardware security technology development is accelerating rapidly, and the technologies being adopted today in IoT markets come in a range of form factors. Some are adapted from existing security solutions, such as Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) and Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), NFC embedded Secure Elements and Authentication ICs, while others are emerging from IoT market demand, such as embedded SIM and Secure Microcontrollers.
Citation
Toolbox.com (2020-03-26)
Speaking to Toolbox, Michela Menting, Research Director at ABI Research, said, “Securing a remote work setup involves laying down policies for vulnerability management and incident handling, correctly configuring devices remotely, having proper authentication and authorization measures in place, securing data in transit and in rest, and minimizing the chances of data leaks or exposure to third parties.”
Citation
Computer World (2020-01-28)
Michela Menting, digital security & blockchain research director at ABI Research, said mobile voting is becoming mature enough to be used in the general voting process, and there will be increasing opportunities to allow for tech-based voting, whether it is mobile or blockchain-based.
“The security concerns associated with voting can be alleviated through technology, there is no doubt, especially when this is properly implemented,” Menting said.
Citation
Computer World (2019-12-06)
HSBC is hardly going into the blockchain project blind. The bank has been involved with enterprise DLT firm R3 since at least 2015, so it has had time to research and test various blockchain ideas, according to Michela Menting, digital security & blockchain research director at ABI Research.
Citation
VenureBeat (2019-12-04)
Effective protection requires coordinating multiple hardware, software, firmware products, protections, and vendors. A holistic approach is key, with hardware playing a key role. Says Michela Menting, Director, ABI Research: “While it can be implemented in software, it is only through dedicated hardware that the root of trust is truly immutable.”
Citation
Future IoT (2019-11-11)
Integrating security into IoT projects is not an easy feat but is an increasingly urgent necessity. With an installed base of 44 billion connected devices projected for 2023, the amount of data and information generated and shared will reach zettabytes of data, according to global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research.
“Much of that data will be sensitive, whether about an individual’s privacy or confidential business information. As such, it presents a lucrative opportunity for threat actors, as data has become a highly commoditized asset in modern societies. Add to that the potential of harnessing unprotected IoT devices for botnets, denial-of-service attacks, or even holding them hostage to ransomware, the imperative for security cannot be ignored,” emphasized Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research.
Citation
Help Net Security (2019-10-28)
With an installed base of 44 billion connected devices projected for 2023, the amount of data and information generated and shared will reach zettabytes of data, according to ABI Research. “Add to that the potential of harnessing unprotected IoT devices for botnets, denial-of-service attacks, or even holding them hostage to ransomware, the imperative for security cannot be ignored,” emphasizes Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research.
Citation
Computer World (2019-10-21)
"I think it's a great expansion on the mobile voting project," Michela Menting, a director with ABI Research, said via email. "I think there is certainly potential to extend such technology to the general public, but it is always contingent on succeeding in smaller focus groups first, and especially those which may often find it more difficult to vote – due to location or disability as in this example."
Citation
The Coin Telegraph (2019-08-29)
Global revenues for blockchain technology are expected to hit $10 billion by 2023.
Tech market advisory firm ABI Research published its findings regarding global revenues from blockchain technology on Aug. 28. Per ABI, investments in the space continue to swell despite the decrease in initial coin offering (ICO) activity, due in large part to venture capital (VC) funding blockchain infrastructure development.
Citation
Forbes (2019-08-28)
In 2018, the cryptocurrency space sustained a harsh, market-wide drawdown in asset prices. Cryptocurrency prices have since recovered, and the technology underlying those crypto assets, blockchain, is expected to see billions of dollars in growth.
ABI Research took a dive into blockchain technology and reported its findings, expecting big things from the technology in the years ahead. "We forecasted [potential] blockchain revenues for the next six years," ABI Research blockchain and digital security research director Michela Menting explained to me in an interview.
This "blockchain revenue" includes categories such as crypto assets, "financial services," "industrial blockchain applications" and "consulting services," as well as others, she clarified. ABI expects "the totality of blockchain revenues to reach almost $10 billion in the next couple of years," Menting said.
Citation
Bloomberg News (2019-08-16)
“Security is only as strong as the weakest link,” Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research, said in an interview. “Far too many companies are lacking in their risk analysis and security evaluations.”
She said the growing trend of so-called deepfakes -- audio and video fabricated to depict people saying or doing things they never said or did -- was a particular concern in this regard.
“The key ingredient in truly credible deepfakes is having a lot of data on the subject, and notably video of a person in any number of different facial expressions,” Menting said. “One can imagine that leaks of facial recognition information can help to build better databases.”
Citation
Enterprise IoT Insights (2019-07-09)
Michela Menting, research director of digital security at ABI Research, commented: “Clearly, those managers have failed to undertake the appropriate cyber-risk assessments in their smart-city planning, or, if they have, they have ignored the imperatives. Firing an IT employee just shifts the blame, and makes a scapegoat. Managers and city administrators are equally to blame for the failure.
“Securing operational systems such as those employed in smart-city settings requires knowledge not just in IT and cybersecurity – two different, albeit related, disciplines – but also knowledge in operational technologies, which requires a completely different skillset and expertise than either IT or cybersecurity. As such, IT employees are not always likely to be versed in cyber and OT.”
She added: “Smart city planners not only undertake proper cyber risk assessments, but train IT staff in cybersecurity and OT or hire the right professionals. The weakness of smart city security – and payment of ransoms – only encourages criminals. Cybersecurity planning permissions should perhaps be required for smart city implementations – and certainly city managers and administrators should be held responsible for their cybersecurity failures.”
Citation
Authority Magazine (2019-01-09)
I had the pleasure of interviewing Michela Menting, Research Director of Digital Security at tech advisory firm ABI Research. Michela studies the latest solutions in cybersecurity technologies, blockchain, IoT and critical infrastructure protection, risk management and strategies, and pin-points opportunities for growth.
Citation
Bloomberg News (2018-11-12)
Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research, said low-level accidental data leaks occur frequently, but that they can be “as big an issue as a mass data breach, simply because it happens on a much broader scale and on a continuous basis.”
“It’s a sort of death by a thousand cuts if you will, rather than one critical wound,” she said. “It’s these small cuts and leakages that companies tend to brush aside, because they can’t see the larger picture.”
Citation
Computer World (2018-10-18)
Driven mainly by financial technology (fintech) investments, blockchain has seen a fast uptick in adoption for application development and pilot tests in a number of industries and will generate more than $10.6 billion in revenue by 2023, according to a new report from ABI Research in New York.
That revenue figure is expected to come mainly from software sales and services.
Driving much of the interest in blockchain are multinational corporations rolling out proofs-of-concept and pilot programs, moves that have bolstered the credibility of and investment in the distributed ledger technology, according to ABI Research director Michela Menting, the report’s lead author.
Citation
EE Times (2018-10-15)
“Intel and Arm are simplifying one of IoT’s most complex and challenging barriers with regard to streamlining the manufacturing and security deployment workflows for IoT,” said Michela Menting, a director at ABI Research, in a public statement.
Citation
Material Handling and Logistics (2018-10-09)
Demand will push revenues for this technology to $10.6 billion by 2023, according to a new report from ABI Research.
“The success of blockchain in financial tech has prompted significant investment in deploying the underlying infrastructure for application development and testing in other industries," says Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research.
Citation
