From quelling AI hype to implementing Responsible AI frameworks to pitting AI against AI, here are five trends affecting every organization
As AI continues to evolve, organizations must stay ahead of emerging threats by adopting strategic, outcomes-focused approaches to cybersecurity.
Proactive measures, such as real-time threat detection and actionable insights, are essential for optimizing resources and effectively mitigating risks in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Here are our five cyber predictions for an eventful 2025:
- Fatigue over AI hype will prompt greater scrutiny
- The AI vs AI war rages on
- Regulatory compliance overwhelms defenders
- Identities will remain a critical attack vector
- Enterprise breaches will be traced back to AI
The initial excitement about AI in cybersecurity will fade, leading to disillusionment among some security leaders. While many will still adopt automated cybersecurity powered tools, they will see beyond vague promises of “AI-driven security” to deliver tangible results. AI is a toolset, not a one-size-fits-all solution. Understanding specific challenges is crucial: cybersecurity is about minimizing risks and preparing for threats. Good cyber hygiene and proactive threat response frameworks are the perennial solutions.
Attackers will increasingly leverage AI to gather intelligence at scale, significantly enhancing their effectiveness in targeting victims, particularly in phishing campaigns where they refine their lures. When infiltrating environments using the victim organization’s own AI tools such as CoPilot, attackers can exploit trusted resources to gain entry and remain evasive. In 2024 cybercriminals have shifted from targeting users to exploiting vulnerabilities in security tools, particularly zero day vulnerabilities. In 2024 attackers will always seek the path of least resistance, and organizations will still need to deploy AI for defense. However, that latter’s effectiveness will rely on intentional deployment strategies.
The growing emphasis on regulatory compliance will overwhelm defenders, giving attackers an advantage. Security teams are stretched thin, prioritizing compliance at the expense of dynamic threat detection. This checklist mentality can hinder the development of a proactive security posture. By 2025, attackers are likely to exploit this imbalance further. Regulatory initiatives are encouraging active adversarial testing and collaboration between government and private sectors, linking compliance with effective security. Organizations that feel overwhelmed by compliance assessments may need to reassess their preparedness.
Identity-based attacks will be a major concern in 2025, with attackers leveraging the Dark Web and generative AI to enhance phishing and business email compromises. Organizations must prioritize continuous testing for identity compromises, using dedicated red teams or third-party services, rather than relying solely on annual assessments. Open-source tools can simulate identity compromises, helping organizations prepare for real threats. As generative AI becomes more prevalent, robust identity management and security practices will be essential to guard against these evolving attacks.
With more AI tools being granted autonomous operation and agency, attack surfaces and existing threats will be analyzed effectively to detect natural-language-based threats such as phishing, which traditional models struggle with. As reliance on these sophisticated tools grows, organizations must prioritize the security of (and responsible use of) their AI systems. Implementing robust safeguards and ethical guidelines will be essential to prevent misuse. Ultimately, awareness of the risks of autonomous AI will foster a proactive security culture, enabling organizations to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and improve protection of their critical assets.
