I asked five different AI models to make “predictions” on what they consider the top five cybersecurity threats and risks for 2025. Here are the results. Below is a summary of what they reported [for the top five overall] and the measures to be considered. The results are not surprising based on what the industry has seen in 2024 and the overall evolution of AI and its capabilities. I would also say that AI will likely make it easier for cybercriminals to perform all of these attacks.
1. AI-Powered / AI-Driven Attacks
Cybercriminals are expected to increasingly leverage AI to create sophisticated and scalable attack strategies, including advanced phishing, deepfake-enabled social engineering, and adaptive AI-driven malware. These tactics exploit trust signals by generating hyper-realistic impersonations through AI-generated audio, video, and text. Automating such attacks will amplify their scale and effectiveness, making detection and prevention more challenging for traditional security systems. This could result in faster breaches and more significant financial, reputational, and operational harm.
To prepare, organizations should prioritize advanced training for employees to recognize AI-driven threats and maintain vigilance in verifying sensitive communications through secondary channels. Integrating AI-powered detection systems can help identify anomalies and adaptive threats in real-time, while multi-factor authentication and biometric measures can strengthen identity verification. Regularly updating systems, testing incident response plans, and implementing robust endpoint protections are essential to counter these evolving threats. Strengthening technical defenses and human awareness will be key to mitigating the risks of AI-enabled cyberattacks.
2. Supply Chain Attacks / Third-Party Risk
As organizations increasingly depend on external vendors, cloud services, and complex software supply chains, cybercriminals are expected to exploit vulnerabilities in these interconnected ecosystems. Compromising a key supplier’s software or managed service can trigger cascading breaches, causing operational disruptions, data leaks, and regulatory violations. These attacks often target third-party software, development tools, and CI/CD pipelines, enabling persistent threats that can remain undetected for extended periods.
The growing complexity of supply chains and reliance on third-party components makes security auditing more challenging, leaving even well-protected organizations vulnerable. High-profile incidents like those involving CrowdStrike and MOVEit underscore the need for robust third-party risk management. The increased use of generative AI in software development further amplifies these risks by introducing new vulnerabilities.
To mitigate these threats, organizations must strengthen supply chain security by proactively assessing and monitoring third-party risks, regularly auditing vendors, and enforcing strict compliance standards. Enhancing security in development pipelines and implementing measures to detect and respond to supply chain compromises promptly are essential. These efforts, coupled with a focus on reducing dependency on vulnerable suppliers, can help safeguard against the rising threat of supply chain attacks.
3. IoT and Operational Tech (OT) Exploitation
The rapid proliferation of IoT devices in manufacturing, healthcare, and utilities creates an expansive and vulnerable attack surface for cybercriminals. Many of these devices need more robust security, often relying on outdated or insufficiently maintained systems. This makes them attractive targets for attackers aiming to cause physical disruptions, steal sensitive data, or compromise critical infrastructure. In extreme cases, energy grids or transportation systems breaches could result in public safety hazards and substantial recovery costs.
Integrating IoT into industrial environments significantly raises the stakes, as attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to disrupt operations, cause sabotage, or trigger cascading failures across connected systems. On a broader scale, unsecured IoT networks may also serve as platforms for large-scale DDoS attacks, amplifying their impact on organizations and public services.
Organizations must enforce stringent security measures for IoT devices to address these risks, such as regular updates, strong authentication, and network segmentation. Critical infrastructure operators should prioritize real-time monitoring and adopt zero-trust principles to safeguard operational technology environments. Proactive threat hunting and incident response planning are essential to minimize potential large-scale disruptions caused by IoT exploitation.
4. Quantum Computing Threats (Encryption Threats)
The emergence of quantum computing poses a significant long-term threat to current encryption standards, even if its full impact remains years away. Quantum computers have the theoretical potential to break widely used cryptographic algorithms, making sensitive data—including financial transactions, intellectual property, and government secrets—vulnerable to decryption. A key concern is the “harvest now, decrypt later” strategy, where adversaries collect encrypted data today, intending to decrypt it in the future when quantum capabilities mature.
Organizations face the dual risks of legacy systems needing to prepare for quantum threats and delays in adopting quantum-resistant cryptography. Encrypted data stored or transmitted today could be compromised retroactively without proactive measures, creating long-term security liabilities. The migration to quantum-safe cryptography is complex, requiring significant planning and compatibility adjustments.
Organizations should start transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption algorithms to mitigate these risks now, prioritizing critical data and systems. Regular assessments of cryptographic inventory, investments in post-quantum cryptography research, and collaboration with industry standards bodies can help ensure preparedness. By acting early, organizations can protect their data and operations from the looming quantum threat.
5. Ransomware, Data Extortion/Disruption
Ransomware is expected to increase in frequency and sophistication, with attackers refining their methods to maximize impact. Beyond encrypting data, cybercriminals increasingly employ multifaceted extortion, threatening to leak stolen sensitive information or disrupt critical operations publicly if ransoms are not paid. These tactics can lead to severe reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and loss of customer trust, particularly in industries like healthcare, finance, and energy.
AI-powered ransomware campaigns will enable attackers to target high-value data and critical infrastructure with greater precision and speed. The dual risks of operational disruption and data theft amplify the stakes as organizations face immediate downtime and long-term exposure from breached data.
Organizations must increase the adoption of robust ransomware defenses to counter these evolving threats, including comprehensive backups, network segmentation, and real-time threat detection systems. Incident response plans should emphasize containment, recovery, and communication strategies for managing extortion risks. Regular employee training and stringent access controls can further strengthen defenses against these increasingly complex ransomware campaigns.
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