The cybersecurity landscape in 2025 is sure to undergo transformative shifts driven by technological advancements and evolving global threats. The integration of AI into cybercriminal operations, the growing reliance on tokenized payment systems, and the increasing intersection of geopolitics with cyber aggression will define the year ahead. As the landscape evolves, it is essential for organisations and individuals to understand and prepare for the key threats on the horizon. Stefan Tanase, Cyber Intelligence Expert as CSIS, provides his cyber security threat landscape predictions for the year ahead.
1. AI-driven cybercrime becomes pervasive
Advancements in artificial intelligence will revolutionise cybercrime. Generative AI will automate reconnaissance, develop adaptive malware, and facilitate highly targeted phishing campaigns. Deepfakes, now capable of real-time manipulation, will enable convincing impersonations for fraud, social engineering, and misinformation campaigns. These attacks will challenge both technical defences and human trust in familiar voices and faces.
2. NFC attacks on tokenised payments
The adoption of mobile payment systems like Google Wallet and Apple Pay has grown exponentially, making them prime targets for cybercriminals. In 2025, we anticipate a significant rise in NFC-based attacks, exploiting vulnerabilities in tokenised card payment systems. These platforms will face unprecedented exploitation as attackers adapt to sophisticated payment technologies.
3. Targeting the crypto industry
As cryptocurrency becomes increasingly regulated and integrated into traditional finance, cyberattacks on the crypto ecosystem will intensify. From Bitcoin wallets to DeFi (decentralised finance) platforms, attackers will exploit vulnerabilities in smart contracts and target the growing number of investors in the crypto space.
4. Evolving ransomware tactics
While organisations are becoming more resilient with better defences and backup strategies, ransomware attacks will adapt. Data leaks, once a powerful extortion tool, are becoming less impactful. However, attacks that significantly disrupt business operations (e.g., halting logistics or sales) will drive higher ransom payments. The divergence between median and average ransom payments will highlight the varying impact of these attacks.
5. Emergence of hard-to-detect malware
Cybercriminals are increasingly using modern programming languages like Go and Rust to develop malware that is harder to detect and reverse-engineer. These binaries will pose a significant challenge to traditional security solutions, marking a shift toward more resilient and evasive malware. The use of “living off the land” binaries (LOLBins) for attack execution will further complicate detection and defence.
6. Supply chain attacks proliferate
The exploitation of open-source projects and generally technological supply chains will remain a favoured tactic. Attackers will continue to insert backdoors into widely used libraries, leading to increased supply chain vulnerabilities. Enhanced scrutiny of open-source projects will be critical, but attackers will still find creative ways to evade safeguards.
7. Increased zero-day exploitation
The trend of nation-state actors using zero-day vulnerabilities aggressively will accelerate. In 2024, actors like North Korea demonstrated a willingness to “burn” zero-days for immediate impact. In 2025, expect an escalation in zero-day usage, with countries like Russia and China pushing boundaries in their cyber espionage and sabotage campaigns.
8. Shifting cybercrime underground
Law enforcement crackdowns on platforms like Telegram and Matrix will force cybercriminals to innovate. A resurgence of underground forums is expected, coupled with a fragmentation of the cybercriminal community. However, replacing Telegram’s unique “social media” model for crowdsourcing attacks will be a major challenge for these groups.
9. Expansion of Chinese-speaking cybercrime
Chinese-speaking threat actors will become global leaders in cybercrime innovation. Historically adept at intellectual property theft, these actors will broaden their focus to include Europe and Latin America. Using advanced Android banking Trojans, remote access tools (RATs), and phishing campaigns, they will efficiently target new victims on a global scale.
10. Geopolitically driven cyber aggression
Rising geopolitical tensions will drive a surge in advanced persistent threat (APT) activities. Nation-state actors, particularly from China and Russia, will persistently target critical infrastructure, telecom providers, and cloud environments. These campaigns will demonstrate advanced tactics, with some threat actors maintaining access to sensitive systems for months or even years. Hacktivism and DDoS will also be fueled by geopolitical tensions.
