As we step into 2025, the cyber security landscape continues to be as complex as ever for security leaders looking to protect their organizations from increasingly injurious cyber threats. The World Economic Forum (WEF) detailed some of the most challenging threats in its Global Cyber security Outlook 2025, with some critical areas of concern mirroring those in our own State of Cyber security Report 2025. Both reports emphasize the growing sophistication of cyber threats, the integration of emerging technologies to make cyber threats harder to detect and deter, and the outsized influence of global geopolitical factors influencing cyber security threats.
Following are six trends and areas of emphasis that both the WEF and Check Point Research (CPR) see as critical challenges for cyber security leaders in 2025 and beyond.
1. Geopolitical Tensions and Cyber security Strategy
According to WEF research, nearly 60% of organizations report that geopolitical tensions have directly influenced their cyber security planning. The increasing use of AI in cyber warfare, particularly for disinformation campaigns, is creating new challenges. Check Point Research reported that nation-state actors are employing AI tools to amplify fake news, create deepfakes, and manipulate public opinion. As these technologies become more advanced and widely used, the ability to manipulate media, elections, and public sentiment is growing, making it harder to differentiate between truth and fictitious content.
State-affiliated hacktivism is also becoming a more serious issue. Cyber attacks are increasingly being used as a tool to further geopolitical agendas, leading our researchers to concluded more sophisticated and sustained cyber conflicts with long-term impacts may soon become the norm.
2. Supply Chain Vulnerabilities and Ecosystem Risks
Both our report and WEF researchers highlight supply chain vulnerabilities as one of the top cyber security risks for organizations. The increasing complexity and interdependencies of global supply chains, alongside a lack of visibility into the security practices of third-party vendors, has made supply chain attacks a critical hot spot for cyber criminals. Fifty-four percent of large organizations identified supply chain risks as a major barrier to cyber resilience, according to the WEF report.
This is further compounded by a marked shift in ransomware tactics with cyber criminals now stealing sensitive data (data exfiltration) and threatening to release it, further ratcheting up pressure on businesses. The healthcare, financial services, and education sectors will be most impacted by these threat strategies.
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