2025 Cyber Threat Predictions and Recommendations from ZeroFox Intelligence

The year is coming to a close and that means it’s time for ZeroFox Intelligence’s annual threat forecast report with our 2025 cyber threat predictions. Each year, our team evaluates the cybersecurity landscape over the past year to predict future threats. But more importantly, to share our recommendations with actionable points to help keep your organization safe in the new year. 

Get the full report or read on for a summary of our predictions for the top trends we’ll see in the cyber threat landscape in 2025.

1. Law Enforcement Activities Continue to Shape the Deep and Dark Web

The norms on deep and dark web (DDW) marketplaces will likely keep changing due to outside influences, similar to those we saw in 2024 such as law enforcement actions and geopolitical pressures.

Cybercriminals will focus more on keeping their operations secure and retaining as much continuity as possible. This means we can expect to see more use of encrypted messaging apps for private chats and more stringent screening of new partners or affiliates.

Recommendations:

• Sign up for ZeroFox monitoring and alerting to stay up to date on developments within the DDW landscape.
• Subscribe to our free publication, the Underground Economist, for summarized DDW intel.

2. Ransomware and Digital Extortion See New As-a-Service Operations

As we predicted, 2024 was another record year for digital extortion incidents, with a 15% increase in ransomware and digital extortion monthly incidents compared to the previous year. And it’s unlikely that this threat will greatly slow down in 2025 with as-a-service operations attracting competent affiliates and able to quickly show a dangerous attack tempo. 

Recommendations:

• Ensure critical data is backed up to secure off-site or cloud servers and maintain a clear and comprehensive incident response strategy.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s technology stack, and implement a thorough patch-management process.
• Subscribe to ZeroFox advanced Dark Web Intelligence for updates on new ransomware targets.

3. Threat Actors and Security Teams Alike Leverage Generative AI

ZeroFox anticipates an increase in the use of GenAI and machine learning-enabled capabilities across the cyber domain. We’ll see threat actors and security teams embracing GenAI to achieve their offensive and defensive objectives. As organizations seek to detect threats and improve workflows through greater GenAI adoption, threat actors will aim to exploit legitimate tools while innovating new ones to facilitate nefarious activity.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen your cybersecurity defenses by formally assessing the risks and benefits of GenAI.
• Educate employees about the advanced capabilities of GenAI in crafting highly convincing phishing and social engineering attacks.

4. Social Engineering Remains One of the Largest Threats

In 2025, social engineering will likely remain one of the biggest threats for cybercriminals trying to gain initial network access, commit fraud, or steal sensitive information. While we don’t expect the overall risks to change much, attackers will continue to refine their usual methods, like phishing and finding ways around multi-factor authentication (MFA). These tactics often target people, using people to get past stronger security measures. 

Recommendations: 

• Implement zero-trust cybersecurity frameworks.
• Provide comprehensive training for staff on modern social engineering tactics.
• Secure remote endpoint devices with phishing-resistant MFA solutions that meet FIDO2 or PKI standards.
• Configure email servers to detect and block emails containing malicious content, and implement robust authentication protocols to prevent email spoofing.

5. Initial Access Brokers (IABs) Continue to Pose Risk to Organizations

IABs will likely remain a major threat to organizations regardless of location or industry. The demand for unauthorized network access spiked in 2024, with a record number of IAB sales showing up on DDW marketplaces. 

We expect this market to keep growing in 2025, with IABs targeting businesses of all sizes, industries, and locations. The quick turnover of access sales—where buyers can easily exploit compromised networks with little investment or risk—highlights the strong demand for this type of access.

Recommendations: 

• Proactively monitor for potential network access sales to obtain critical early warning of an impending cyberattack and to help identify malicious actors, including insiders, meaning to harm your network. 
• Configure devices with the principle of Zero Trust and least privilege. Periodically review edge device configurations, and audit perimeter security. 
• Regularly scan for software updates, and implement them as quickly as practical. 
• Enable MFA and disable PowerShell wherever possible. 
• Employ ZeroFox Threat Intelligence Feeds to get ahead of threat actor activity.

6. Further Convergence of the Geopolitical and Cyber Spheres

In 2025, the cyber threat landscape will very  likely be strongly shaped by global political changes, continuing a trend we’ve seen in recent years where cyber threats and geopolitics are more closely linked. In 2024, we saw how global events directly influenced the motivations and actions of cybercriminals, hacktivists, and even nation-state actors. Looking ahead to 2025, we can expect even more unpredictability in the global political scene, which will make the cyber threat landscape even more dynamic. Read more about specific predictions by country in the full 2025 Forecast Report.

Recommendations: 

• Organizations should subscribe to ZeroFox Intelligence monitoring and alerting to maintain awareness and keep apprised of geopolitical developments that may impact their operations.

2025 Cyber Threat Predictions Remain Interconnected

While each of these threats pose their own unique challenges to your organization, it’s also important to understand how they are interconnected. For example, threat actors can leverage GenAI to create more sophisticated social engineering campaigns. Or ransomware as-a-service operations are advertised and sold on DDW forums. That’s why comprehensive threat intelligence is paramount for today’s organizations. To learn more, see ZeroFox Threat Intelligence in action.

Tags: Threat Intelligence