Measure Twice, Cut Once: Meta-curious Organisations Relay Security Concerns Even as They Plunge Into Virtual Worlds

The metaverse has emerged as one of the most exciting new frontiers since the advent of the internet. This massive set of virtual worlds creates endless possibilities and potential for new activities and experiences that have not been available in the cyber world before. Tech giants such as Microsoft, Facebook and Roblox are already investing billions of dollars to become the pioneers of this market, which McKinsey & Company predicts will grow to $5 trillion by 2030. As with all new-frontier ventures, there are very real concerns about the threats and pitfalls that may be awaiting organizations in such a new space.

To fully understand how prepared organizations are to either create their own metaverse initiatives or participate in others’, Tenable has conducted an in-depth study across Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The study, conducted by Opinion Matters on behalf of Tenable, surveyed 1,500 professionals representing roles in cybersecurity, DevOps and IT engineering. It investigated future business opportunities, potential barriers to adoption and types of cyberthreats emerging in this new realm.

The study offers insights into what organizations perceive as the greatest risks and rewards of investing in the metaverse and the level of development required to take such a major step safely.

• Organizations view the metaverse as an opportunity for interaction and collaboration.
• Security and macroeconomic conditions are top considerations for investing in the metaverse.
• New cyberthreats will develop in the metaverse and old threats will carry over into the metaverse.
• Addressing cybersecurity and privacy concerns will give organizations a better chance at succeeding in the metaverse.
• Re-evaluating the current cybersecurity posture of the underlying infrastructure is a must for organizations that want to scale their business to the metaverse.