Cybersecurity

In 2025, cybersecurity will be defined by AI, automation and Zero Trust strategies, but organizations must proactively manage threats and invest in robust security measures to counter risks from deepfakes and evolving attack vectors.

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“The utilization of AI automation will allow cybersecurity professionals to shift their focus to strategic initiatives.”

Chris Novak
Vice President,
Global Cybersecurity Solutions

Verizon Business

Cybersecurity teams are anticipating a significant shift, as teams increasingly transition from the daily grind of repetitive and manual tasks, towards more strategic and high-level activities. This evolution will be fueled by the growing integration of AI and automation technologies, which will effectively shoulder the burden of routine threat detection, analysis, and response.However, if organizations rush to adopt the latest AI and automation solutions, they risk overwhelming their cybersecurity professionals with an unwieldy and disjointed array of tools. This can inadvertently hinder efficiency, create confusion, and even introduce new vulnerabilities. Organizations will need to carefully evaluate their specific needs, select tools that seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure, and prioritize solutions that offer comprehensive functionality over a fragmented collection of point solutions. In addition, adequate training and support for cybersecurity professionals are essential to enable them to effectively leverage these new tools and adapt to the evolving threat landscape. The human element remains crucial in interpreting AI-driven insights, making informed decisions, and ultimately safeguarding the organization's digital assets.Digital protection is no longer optional. With the increasing digitalization of business operations, cybersecurity has become a paramount concern. In 2024, our survey indicated that a significant number of SMBs were worried about cybersecurity threats, including viruses, malware, and data vulnerabilities. As we move into 2025, SMBs must invest in robust cybersecurity measures to protect their assets and maintain customer trust.

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“As we move into 2025, SMBs must invest in robust cybersecurity measures to protect their assets and maintain customer trust.”

Aparna Khurjekar
Chief Revenue Officer,
Business Markets and SaaS

Verizon Business

Digital protection is no longer optional. With the increasing digitalization of business operations, cybersecurity has become a paramount concern. In 2024, our State of Small Business Survey indicated that a significant number of SMBs were worried about cybersecurity threats, including viruses, malware, and data vulnerabilities.

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“With the increasing digitization of business and government, the importance of digital trust and robust data protection measures cannot be overstated. Implementing a comprehensive security technology framework is an essential step in mitigating risks and safeguarding organizational assets.”

Massimo Peselli
Chief Revenue Officer,
Global Enterprise & Public Sector

Verizon Business

Organizations must prioritize securing their networks and protecting sensitive data to maintain customer confidence and comply with evolving regulatory requirements.

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“Robust supply chain security is not optional; it’s essential for safeguarding against software vulnerabilities”

Ali Neil
Managing Director
Advanced Solutions

Verizon Business

In 2025, businesses need to safeguard themselves from security risks linked to software dependencies - that is, external applications or code they rely on. While they save development time, they can pose cybersecurity risks, including vulnerabilities from outdated or unpatched components, supply chain attacks, and malicious code insertion. These are what we call “zero-day” risks as the flaws remain unknown and unpatched, leaving zero-days to respond to threats.

10 “The evolution of Zero Trust security will be driven by the pivotal role of identity, enhanced detection and response capabilities, and improved data management strategies.”

Ashish Khanna
Managing Director for
Security Consulting Services

Verizon Business

The evolution of Zero Trust security in 2025 will be driven by the pivotal role of identity, enhanced detection and response capabilities, and improved data management & governance strategies. Identity will become the cornerstone of Zero Trust frameworks, integrating across devices, network telemetry, and applications.

This provides continuous and pervasive identity verification, enhancing security by allowing only authenticated and authorized users to access resources. With the rise of AI and quick adoption within enterprises, are looking at implementing Role based access for Large Language Models and taking steps to ensure they can remove Personally identifiable informationv (PII) from the data.

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“Deepfake technology will quickly become the go-to tool for cybercriminals, blurring the line between reality and deception in phishing scams.”

Rob Le Busque
Vice President

APAC Verizon Business

Deep fakes will become a major tool for cyberattacks. Highly accessible to anyone with a laptop, the technology is becoming more accessible, partly due to the availability of open source software, making it easier for bad actors to use in social engineering and phishing scams.

The Asia-Pacific region has experienced a 1,530% surge in deepfake cases from 2022 to 2023. With AI-driven fraud remaining the most prominent challenge across various industries, crypto is the main target sector followed by fintech.

The primary barriers to widespread adoption have been access to generative AI platforms and the cost of processing power (GPU availability), but these obstacles are quickly diminishing.