Analysts Share Their 2025 Cybersecurity Predictions

It's the start of a new year. Like last year, I want to examine what analysts are predicting for the cybersecurity landscape in 2025 and the risks they feel will be front and center.

There is no shortage of predictions for this year’s cybersecurity landscape outlook—so many, it's impossible to compile them all. While not a thorough summary of the threats and risks in 2025, this article highlights the most common topics covered by cybersecurity specialists.

Ransomware: An Ongoing Threat

Ransomware continues to dominate discussions about the cybersecurity outlook for 2025. Analysts predict ransomware attacks will grow more sophisticated while remaining as prevalent as ever this year.

One anticipated trend is the increasing use of advanced tactics, such as double extortion. This involves encrypting an organization's data and threatening to release sensitive information unless the attacked organization pays the ransom. This highlights the urgent need for organizations to invest in strong backup systems and have well-prepared incident response strategies.

Analysts also predict a rise in pure extortion schemes, in which attackers demand payment to prevent the exposure of stolen data without the typical data encryption tactic of ransomware attacks. Following the public disclosure of a breach, such data releases could severely harm an organization's reputation and trigger regulatory scrutiny and fines.

Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) platforms, which make it easier for less skilled criminals to launch complex attacks, are expected to increase the frequency and diversity of ransomware incidents in 2025. This model has expanded the threat to organizations of all sizes and across various sectors, as even amateur attackers can now deploy highly effective ransomware attacks.

Commentators also predict that the financial consequences of ransomware attacks will increase. Reports show the median ransom payment rose from $190,000 (€180,500) in early 2023 to $1.5 million (€1.4 million) by mid-2024. This upward trend is likely to continue in 2025, with attackers targeting businesses and critical infrastructure providers that are more likely to pay large sums. However, organizations outside these categories shouldn't be complacent, as ransomware gangs will target all types of businesses, regardless of size or industry.

Cybersecurity experts stress the importance of adopting a proactive, multi-layered defense strategy to counter these evolving threats. This includes investing in reliable backup solutions, conducting frequent security assessments and establishing a robust incident response plan. Equally important is fostering a culture of security awareness among employees, as human error remains a key enabler of successful ransomware attacks.

How NDR Can Help

Network Detection and Response (NDR) solutions offer a powerful defense against ransomware. They can identify the early warning signs of an attack, such as unusual file encryption or unusual data transfers, allowing organizations to act before significant damage occurs. NDR can also detect lateral movement within the network, enabling security teams to isolate an attack and minimize its spread.

Social Media Manipulation: Probing People’s Trust

Social media platforms remain a double-edged sword for organizations. They offer communication and brand-building opportunities while exposing employees and the business to significant cybersecurity threats. In 2025, these threats will escalate as cybercriminals leverage generative AI and advanced data analytics to exploit the wealth of personal and corporate information shared online.

A recent report from Check Point Software highlights a growing trend—that the widespread use of platforms like X (Twitter), Threads, Bluesky, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and others—has led to a surge in targeted social engineering attacks. These include highly tailored spear-phishing campaigns and broader phishing schemes aimed at compromising individuals and organizations.

The use of deepfake technology is also projected to rise significantly. Generative AI tools have made creating convincing deepfake audio and video easier than before, which attackers can weaponize. Attackers can use these fabricated media assets to impersonate high-ranking executives, facilitate phishing scams and manipulate public perception. For example, a fake video of a CEO announcing a significant business change could trigger stock market disruption, allowing attackers to profit through strategic trading, like short selling.

How NDR Can Help

NDR solutions provide a critical defense against threats. By analyzing network traffic, NDR tools can identify suspicious activity, such as employees interacting with malicious links or downloading malware from compromised websites. Additionally, NDR systems can monitor inbound and outbound traffic to detect and block communications with malicious IPs or domains often used in social media-based cyberattacks.

GenAI: Unavoidable and Potentially Harmful

No discussion of technology risk in 2025 would be complete without addressing AI—particularly generative AI (GenAI)—and its implications for cybersecurity. As reported by Gartner, experts almost unanimously predict cybercriminals will increasingly exploit GenAI in 2025 to enhance attacks. GenAI allows threat actors to automate and refine their tactics, making attacks more precise and challenging to detect. For example, attackers can leverage AI to help them generate persuasive phishing emails or create fake websites to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.

GenAI and other machine learning-based technologies are here to stay. There's no going back, and 2025 will likely mark a turning point where these tools become part of cybersecurity's "new normal." After a few years of rapid GenAI evolution, we'll see a shift from an interesting innovation into a routine part of cyberattackers' and defenders' toolkits.

How NDR Can Help

Organizations can counter GenAI-powered threats by adopting security solutions with real-time threat detection and response capabilities. Solutions that leverage machine learning (ML) can analyze vast amounts of network, application and user activity data to identify suspicious patterns indicative of a breach or an attack.

NDR tools increasingly integrate AI and ML to monitor network activity and detect unusual behaviors. By analyzing traffic in real time, NDR can uncover AI-driven threats that traditional signature-based systems often miss. This includes identifying suspicious activities like unexpected data transfers, lateral movement within the network or command-and-control communications. With NDR, organizations can respond to these threats quickly, reducing the potential for severe damage.

Supply Chain Attacks: Opening Your Systems to Risk

Analysts agree that cybersecurity defenses must extend far beyond an organization's traditional network boundaries. In today's interconnected world, businesses rely on complex supply chains critical to operations, whether those supply chains support physical goods or digital services. Most organizations engage with third-party vendors to deliver essential services, often through tightly integrated IT systems, blurring the lines between where their network begins and ends.

Analysts anticipate that supply chain attacks will increase in frequency and sophistication in the coming years. Attackers can infiltrate systems indirectly by taking advantage of weaker security measures within a supply chain, making these attacks hard to detect and mitigate. This highlights the need for thorough security evaluations of potential business partners and the consistent implementation of robust security protocols across all supply chain components.

The sheer complexity of modern supply chains also creates significant challenges in tracking and addressing vulnerabilities. A single weak link can jeopardize an entire ecosystem. According to Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, third-party vendors are increasingly becoming prime targets for attackers due to their vulnerabilities. The organization predicts a rise in large-scale supply chain attacks, similar in scope to the infamous SolarWinds breach. Some large attacks are already underway but have yet to be uncovered.

For 2025, experts emphasize the need for a proactive, multi-layered cybersecurity strategy to address supply chain risks. This begins with conducting rigorous due diligence when onboarding third-party vendors, including evaluating their security policies, certifications and incident response capabilities. 

Vendor risk management is equally essential. Organizations should implement procedures to monitor ongoing vendor compliance with security standards and detect potential vulnerabilities. Advanced threat detection systems that identify unusual activity within interconnected systems can provide early warning signs of a compromise.

Another critical measure is applying the principle of least privilege. Vendors should only have access to the systems and data necessary to perform their functions, reducing the risk of a breach spreading to your organization.

Regular security training for employees, contractors and third-party partners is also vital to minimize risks from human error and social engineering. Lastly, organizations should coordinate a response and incorporate third-party vendors into incident response planning and drills in the event of a breach.

How NDR Can Help

NDR tools are well-suited for identifying suspicious activity within supply chains. They can uncover anomalies in traffic patterns, even in encrypted communications. NDR solutions can help pinpoint the source of suspicious behavior by providing detailed insights into network activity. This enables teams to detect and remediate supply chain issues quickly.

Defense Mechanisms: Foundational Cybersecurity Approaches

According to nearly all analyst prediction articles, defending against threats involves using fundamental security strategies and best practices that have proven effective over time. NDR solutions like Progress Flowmon can be vital in implementing these fundamental cybersecurity strategies. These approaches also protect against other risks and cybersecurity threats not mentioned in this blog. 

Zero Trust Security - Adopting a Zero-Trust security model is essential in 2025, but implementing it introduces challenges. For example, Zero Trust requires continuous verification of users and devices, which can create blind spots in network activity and increase the potential risk of misconfigurations. NDR solutions complement Zero Trust by monitoring and analyzing all network activity, regardless of source. They provide continuous visibility into both internal and external network traffic. If an insider threat or compromised device bypasses security, NDR can detect subsequent suspicious behavior and trigger an alert.

Unified Data Security Platforms - Organizations are consolidating their security tools into unified platforms to simplify operations and improve threat detection. While this integration improves efficiency, it also requires robust network visibility to monitor data or activity continuously. NDR is vital to a unified data security platform. It provides continuous, real-time network traffic monitoring across on-premises, hybrid and cloud environments. By integrating with other security tools like SIEMs (Security Information and Event Management) and SOARs (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response), NDR contributes to thorough threat detection and response workflows.

Flowmon NDR: A Purpose-Built Solution for Modern Threats

Flowmon NDR is an industry-leading NDR solution designed to address the cybersecurity challenges encountered on modern networks in 2025 and beyond. Its advanced capabilities offer:

• AI-Powered Anomaly Detection - Flowmon uses machine learning, heuristics and pattern matching to detect changes in network traffic that may indicate threats like ransomware or supply chain compromises.
• Real-Time Network Visibility - Flowmon provides continuous, in-depth visibility into network traffic, including encrypted data, without impacting performance.
• Compatibility with Zero Trust Architectures - Flowmon integrates into Zero Trust networks, providing additional layers of protection by monitoring real-time traffic within the trusted network.
• Rapid Incident Response - Flowmon accelerates threat investigation and response, reducing dwell time and minimizing potential damage by integrating with SIEM, SOAR, FW, NAC and other security solutions.
• Scalability Across Complex Environments - Flowmon provides consistent security coverage, whether operating on-premises, in the cloud or hybrid environments.

We encourage you to read more about Flowmon security solutions.

Final Thoughts

It’s impossible to achieve 100% cybersecurity protection and prevent attackers from breaching your defenses. While diligently mitigating known risks is essential, you should also prepare for situations where attackers manage to gain access to your network. At that point, having 24/7 NDR is crucial for detecting anomalies, allowing you to respond quickly and quarantine compromised systems. 

The cybersecurity landscape in 2025 will demand advanced tools and strategies to combat increasingly sophisticated threats. Flowmon NDR provides the visibility, agility and intelligence needed to stay ahead of cybercriminals. By proactively detecting and responding to threats, Flowmon helps organizations protect their networks, safeguard sensitive data and maintain operational resilience in the face of current and emerging risks.

You can read more about Flowmon solutions on this overview page. You can also get a Flowmon demo to learn firsthand how it boosts your cybersecurity resiliency and makes your network monitoring more transparent and useful.