As new technologies transform the digital environment at a dizzying pace, cybercriminals are taking advantage of increasingly sophisticated tools and tactics. As 2025 begins, complex attacks, such as ransomware and supply chains, deepfakes and hacks of IoT (Internet of Things) devices are becoming more common.
With this in mind, January is a good time to explore the top emerging trends in cybersecurity for this year and beyond. These trends shed light on what both organizations and individuals can expect and what they should be prepared for. Additionally, some of the predictions I made for 2024 will continue to evolve and have an impact in 2025.
The rise of artificial intelligence and deepfakes
Technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform our lives as it becomes more deeply integrated into them. From search engines incorporating AI into their results to users increasingly relying on chatbots for answers, the rapid adoption of AI has already changed the way we learn, work and communicate. This trend will expand further with the launch of advanced AI features on operating systems such as iOS and Android.
However, these advances also present challenges, as they offer cybercriminals powerful tools. One of them is the ability of AI to create deepfakes high-quality personalized products, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated. This hinders people’s ability to trust what they see with their own eyes. Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups will incorporate this technology to impersonate key individuals, such as CEOs of large corporations, by creating convincing messages or videos to trick employees, steal sensitive information, or carry out malicious activities.
In the absence of effective and robust detection tools, this raises ethical and privacy issues. Therefore, as AI systems interact with and shape the physical world, the need for safeguards and accountability mechanisms will grow.
Evolution of ransomware techniques
Ransomware has become more expensive and dangerous for victims. In 2025, critical infrastructure such as energy networks, healthcare systems and transportation are expected to be primary targets. These attacks will not only cause financial losses, but may also put national security at risk. This will lead to governments and private organizations working more closely on cybersecurity initiatives.
Likewise, advances in ransomware techniques are anticipated. For example, attacks could covertly manipulate or introduce erroneous data into databases rather than simply encrypting it (a technique known as “data poisoning”). This would raise questions about the accuracy of a company’s data. Furthermore, ransomware as a service (RaaS) will continue to grow, allowing less experienced actors to launch sophisticated attacks with relatively cheap kits, which will increase the number of incidents.
IoT as a growing attack vector
The proliferation of 5G networks marks the beginning of a new era of connectivity, especially with the Internet of Things (IoT). The number of IoT devices is predicted to grow from about 18 billion today to around 32 billion by 2030. However, this expansion creates new connections with cyber risks and vulnerabilities, from external threats to software failures.
Many IoT devices rely on remote servers for control, but the security practices of the organizations that manage them are often unclear. Additionally, IoT devices often run on embedded systems and firmware that can be easily scanned for vulnerabilities. Added to this is that many older devices use outdated libraries with known security holes.
Another risk is represented by mobile applications used to control IoT devices. With so many apps available, it’s difficult to verify the authenticity of each one, creating opportunities for hackers to spread fake apps and take control of computers. Security professionals are almost in the dark, with no visibility when it comes to these devices.
The situation has not improved compared to last year, and we can expect attackers to continue taking advantage of the vast number of unprotected devices in the future.
Supply chain attacks on open source projects
Another emerging trend is the rise of supply chain attacks, where attackers seek their ultimate targets through suppliers, integrators or developers to compromise the integrity of products and services.
For example, in November, our experts discovered a supply chain attack campaign targeting the Python Package Index (PyPI) repository, which went undetected for almost a year. Another case was the introduction of backdoors in XZ, a popular open source compression tool used in Linux distributions.
These cases highlight critical aspects of today’s open source ecosystem, where many important projects are maintained by few developers, who often do not have the ability to defend themselves against professional cybercriminals or sophisticated APT groups. This turns small and medium-sized businesses, which lack robust protection, into gateways for hackers to access the data and infrastructure of large organizations.
Cybersecurity threats in the automotive sector
More than 400 million connected cars are projected to be in use by 2025, up from 237 million in 2021. By 2030, 96% of new cars are expected to be connected.
Modern vehicles have sophisticated software to ensure connectivity, but the involvement of multiple actors in the supply chain can expose manufacturers to cybersecurity risks. For example, in one recent case, hackers stole 240 GB of data from Toyota’s US division, including information about employees, customers and contracts.
Additionally, technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are vulnerable to attacks, which could allow hackers to listen to conversations or even take control of vehicles. With the rapid growth of digitalization in the automotive industry, these risks will increase, making it essential to implement robust cybersecurity measures, especially for autonomous vehicles.
In conclusion, as cyberattacks become more sophisticated, both organizations and individuals will need to adopt stronger security measures. In 2025 and beyond, effective protection against cyber threats will require robust security tools and an approach that combines threat intelligence, predictive analytics, continuous monitoring, and a zero-trust mindset to protect data and operations. Additionally, it will be important to organize regular cyber training programs to educate employees about potential risks.
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Eugene is a world-renowned cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and CEO of Kaspersky, the world’s largest private provider of cybersecurity and endpoint protection solutions that works, among others, with INTERPOL and Europol on issues against cybercrime.
The opinions expressed are solely the responsibility of their authors and are completely independent of the position and editorial line of Forbes Mexico.
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