Menu
By Cian Fitzpatrick | 7th January 2025
2025 is only a few days old, but the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity does not stop. Email security remains the number one way organisations can protect themselves. Yet, even the most complex and advanced email security systems can be thwarted with a single human click on a suspect link. Here are some of the cybersecurity and email security trends we predict for 2025.
As a result, it pays to keep an eye on the psychology as well as the technology behind cybersecurity trends shaping the next 12 months.
Artificial intelligence (AI) remains a prominent topic. No surprises there. But other significant trends are reshaping the landscape too. From the growing influence of virtual CISOs to the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, here are the key predictions for the year ahead.
AI has been stealing the limelight for a number of years now, reaching an apex in 2024. However, in 2025 we may see cybersecurity leaders lessen their enthusiasm somewhat.
There is no doubt that AI can be a force for good, just as it can for bad. That said, security teams are beginning to see it’s not the answer for everything. Particular questions are being asked on the return on investment AI delivers for operational tasks, such as incident response and reporting.
Tight budgets and limited practical benefits are prompting chief information security officers (CISOs) to slow adoption rates and focus resources elsewhere.
The years of AI being unleashed with little to no regulation look to be drawing to an end. AI has been expanding at a rate of knots for years across just every industry under the sun. In light of this land grab, we’re now seeing calls for regulatory oversight grow louder.
Increasingly, security teams are proactively working to establish safeguards for AI-generated code and other uses. Their aim is to prevent vulnerabilities before they spiral out of control.
In 2025, cybersecurity trends will be heavily influenced by key EU legislative frameworks that aim to harmonise standards across critical sectors. The NIS 2 Directive, Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), and Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) collectively strengthen cybersecurity across infrastructure, digital products, and financial services. Complementing these are broader regulations such as the AI Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), emphasising the growing need for a coordinated and comprehensive regulatory approach to address evolving digital threats.
Malicious actors are always inventing new ways to hack corporate networks.
One of the newest ways to cause a cyber breach we’re seeing is the introduction of initial access brokers (IABs). By outsourcing the initial breach, attackers can launch sophisticated campaigns without extensive technical expertise. This trend is expected to grow, increasing the need for robust defenses against unauthorized access.
As email remains the biggest vector through which a cyberhack happens (91% of all data breaches happen via email), organisations are partnering with managed service providers (MSPs) to strengthen their security posture.
As an external expert, an MSP team acts as your first line of deference to manage the human and nonhuman identities that make up your complex architecture, such as IoT devices and servers.
Technology, the latest iteration of which is AI, has been helpful in creating numerous tools to help manage cybersecurity. What we’re finding though is many organisations have too many of these. Their sprawling collection of tools and solutions can feel overwhelming. And also lead to inefficiencies and high costs.
Working with an MSP takes care of this problem for you. Not only will your MSP partner take care of your cybersecurity requirements for you, they will also rationalise your security technology stacks.
One of the hallmarks of cybersecurity attacks until recently has been the shortsighted nature of the criminals. We’re now seeing this change.
Cyber adversaries are becoming more patient and calculated, as seen in recent attacks where hackers maintained network access for years before acting. To combat these persistent threats, organizations must prioritise resilience, including advanced segmentation strategies to limit attackers’ lateral movement.
There is a lot to admire in the philosophy of open source software, but we’re seeing an escalation in the attacks targeting this type of software. Hackers are exploiting unvetted components in widely used applications. Regulatory efforts are emerging to address this vulnerability, pushing developers and organisations to adopt stricter security protocols and transparency in their software supply chains.
The widespread shift to cloud infrastructure has created blind spots in security, particularly for multi-cloud environments. We’re still seeing the legacy of quick jumps to the cloud during the pandemic. Poorly managed migrations during the pandemic have left many organisations vulnerable. In 2025, cloud security posture management will take center stage as businesses strive to regain control over their digital assets.
The demand for virtual CISOs (vCISOs) is surging as full-time CISO roles grow increasingly stressful and high-stakes. Many organisations are turning to part-time or on-demand consultants to provide strategic guidance without the cost of a permanent hire. 62% of CISOs in a 2023 Gartner study claimed they’d experienced burnout once and 44% had experienced multiple cases of burnout. Being a CISO is a high stakes role and working with an MSP partner can help manage the stress.
AI-enabled agents, designed to automate decision-making and streamline workflows, are becoming a prime target for cybercriminals. By exploiting vulnerabilities in these systems, attackers can manipulate outcomes, steal sensitive data, and disrupt operations. To mitigate this risk, organisations must incorporate robust security measures specific to AI systems.
In conclusion, 2025 is set to be a transformative year in cybersecurity, with trends reflecting a mix of opportunity and challenge. By staying ahead of these developments, organisations can better protect themselves in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Contact Topsec for a no obligation call to see how our team (made up of real people and technology) can help keep your organisation safe.
Explore advancements in online protection, evolving cyber threats, and cutting-edge strategies to safeguard your digital environment.