The future of cybersecurity remains a constant concern for security professionals and organizational leaders. Even if the organization is protected now, what new threats and events could derail the organization in a few days, weeks, or months? After all, the rapid advancement of technology also means a rapid advancement of vulnerabilities.
There is no crystal ball to forecast the future; however, organizations can make informed predictions about cybersecurity in the coming year. There are several trends that will likely shape the cyberlandscape in 2025, and organizations looking to stay ahead of the curve should prepare accordingly.
More Sophisticated Ransomware
Since up to 20% of all breaches are ransomware attacks, this security challenge has been a prevalent risk for over a decade1, and its threat potential stands to become even greater in the near future. There are now more than 150 ransomware families, showing that this attack vector is proliferating and increasing in sophistication.
Moreover, artificial intelligence (AI) is fueling this growth, making ransomware increasingly complex and more difficult to detect—which also means it is more dangerous. Previously, malware scanners had proven quite effective in detecting ransomware, but their effectiveness is decreasing as technology evolves.
What can organizations do about this? First, they must rethink how they detect ransomware. Organizations may need to augment their existing tools and bring in newer, AI-fueled systems to identify and thwart more sophisticated threats. Second, invest in employee training, specifically around phishing attacks, as these are still the primary vehicle for ransomware deployment.
To this end, the most effective training involves providing phishing simulations and phishing material to educate employees on how to spot the phish in the future. The next step is to wait for an employee to fall for a phishing email and/or input their credentials into a phishing website (and they will). At that point, they should be given immediate security awareness guidance on what phishing is and how to avoid phishing attempts in the future. Responding at the moment they fell prey to the attempt is key to raising awareness and preventing similar scenarios in the future.
More Security Needed for the Cloud
According to G2, 85% of organizations will be “cloud first” by 20252. While this is exciting news for our digital-centric society, the downside is that cloud adoption has moved faster than cloud security measures have.
With many organizations moving to remote or hybrid environments, employees have gone from using IT-configured devices on the office premises to using remote devices nearly anywhere and everywhere. This, naturally, makes the organizations with a remote and/or hybrid workforce must focus on implementing robust cloud security frameworks. Two examples include Zero Trust Architecture3, which assumes no user or device is trusted by default, and Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)4, which consists of continuously monitoring cloud infrastructure to identify and remediate security risk and misconfigurations. Employee education and clear policies about cloud usage are as crucial as ever, along with implementing tools meant for cloud environments.
AI Continues to Change Cybersecurity
Cybercriminals use AI technology to create more elaborate hacking tools, while cybersecurity professionals rely on it to develop better threat detection systems and predict future attacks. The debate over whether AI has helped or hurt cybersecurity efforts continues, but its impact is undeniable. In truth, it has become even more of a complex issue because both sides of the equation are embracing it. As 2025 approaches, both protectors and attackers will continue to turn to AI to outsmart one another.
Outside of the threat and defense landscape, AI governance also plays a critical role. While the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), ISO/IEC 42001:2023 Information technology — Artificial intelligence — Management system standard represents progress in establishing governance and responsible management of AI systems, it alone is insufficient. Organizations must implement additional safeguards and strategies to protect their AI operations fully.
The organizations that will fare the best will implement AI-enhanced security tools, such as AI-powered threat detection, automated compliance monitoring, and/or behavioral analytics. Staying on top of regulatory developments and compliance is also of critical importance.
Cyberwarfare in Upcoming Elections
In the digital environment, cyberwarfare has become the new norm in elections, with hackers attempting to manipulate outcomes and spread misinformation. Given the high-profile elections regularly occurring around the world, cybercriminals are expected to target political campaigns and critical infrastructure.
As is usually the case, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Organizations and governments alike should plan for a spike in attacks leading up to important elections, taking the time now to proactively secure crucial systems and implement plans to combat misinformation campaigns.
Retain and Attract Cybersecurity Experts
Half of cybersecurity professionals expect that they will burnout in the next 12 months due to the stress and pressures of their jobs.5 Professionals in the field suffer from burnout after facing unprecedented pressure and being held accountable for breaches. Given the already existing talent gap, this is nothing short of a crisis.
To retain their seasoned cybersecurity specialists, organizations must avoid personally blaming chief information security officers (CISOs) for cyberattacks. Even though the individuals in this role oversee the organization’s security measures, and are the most visible in this department, they should not be personally held responsible for breaches. This often happens due to a lack of understanding of cybersecurity, and the natural human desire to find someone or something to blame for a problem. But these situations are usually highly complex and the only outcome from pinning an attack on a CISO is that they will be more likely to burn out and/or leave the organization.
Along the same lines, an organization’s security team is the backbone of the enterprise and should be supported well, especially those in high-stress roles. As such, organizations should provide mechanisms to support and appreciate security teams, ensuring scheduled breaks, and distributing employee workload. This should be done while also recognizing their achievements. Organizations can enhance their security teams’ effectiveness by investing in robust security measures, even when the return on investment is not immediately apparent. This commitment demonstrates a dedication to setting everyone up for success by equipping both the organization and its security department with the best tools available.
Last, reconsider how to educate and certify cybersecurity experts. For example, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification is still often used but is based on technology from the early 2000s. Instead, certifications should be relevant to today’s cybersecurity landscape, and the industry needs to reflect this. For instance, certifications from CompTIA, the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certification from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) are all highly respected and applicable today.
Looking Ahead
In 2025, organizations can look forward to many technological advancements. But these advancements will come with more ransomware, AI on both the attacker and defender sides of security, cyberwarfare, employee shortages, and more. As such, organizations must be vigilant and more proactive than ever in investing in security measures and putting safeguards first.