Top 5 Security Trends Every CISO Must Watch in 2025

2025 is set to be a defining year for security. CISOs who can adapt to emerging threats, cutting-edge technology, and shifting regulations will be able to protect their organizations with confidence.

The year ahead will test CISOs’ agility, foresight, and strategic planning. With quantum computing inching closer to practical deployment, AI playing both offense and defense, and regulatory demands tightening, 2025 is set to bring on a lot of challenges as well as opportunities. Here’s what’s on the radar for this year.

Trump’s AI deregulation

With the recent win, the Trump administration’s push for AI deregulation has sparked debates across industries. Reduced regulatory barriers promise innovation and breakthroughs in AI-driven technologies. Companies might find it easier to develop and deploy AI solutions without navigating cumbersome approval processes, improving processes in sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and autonomous systems.

However, deregulation also carries risks. The absence of clear guidelines raises concerns about the ethical use of AI, from biased algorithms to opaque decision-making processes. Additionally, the lack of robust regulatory frameworks could lead to uneven data security practices, increasing the potential for breaches and exploitation.

For CISOs, navigating this deregulation requires proactive measures. Strengthening internal governance frameworks, ensuring transparency in AI usage, and staying aligned with emerging compliance standards will be crucial. When innovation and security are tightly interwoven, balancing opportunity with risk has never been more critical.

What’s at stake?

• Ethical dilemmas in AI use, from biased algorithms to opaque decision-making.
• Data integrity risks as AI models operate in increasingly unregulated environments.

Action plan for CISOs

• Create robust internal governance frameworks for the use of AI.
• Closely collaborate with compliance and legal teams for emerging AI regulations.

A heavy focus on third-party risks

As we’ve seen time and time again, third-party partnerships are often the weakest link in security. Nearly 29% of data breaches are attributed to third-party attack vectors. In 2021, Kaseya suffered a ransomware attack that exploited a managed service provider (MSP) software, affecting over 1,500 businesses, demonstrating how third-party vulnerabilities can scale into massive disruptions.

However, data breaches aren’t the only problem vendors can be linked to. Earlier this year, Crowdstrike had a global outage, which disrupted services across critical sectors like hospitals, airlines, and other essential infrastructure. This incident highlighted how a single vendor can cause widespread operational failures, financial losses, and even reputational damage.

For CISOs, 2025 demands a renewed focus on vendor risk management. This means conducting rigorous security assessments, ensuring vendors adhere to frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, and regularly auditing third-party cybersecurity hygiene.

What’s at stake?

• Operational downtime that undermines trust in critical services.
• Financial losses from cascading failures across the vendor ecosystem.

Action plan for CISOs

• Audit your vendors regularly with a focus on cybersecurity hygiene.
• Establish a robust Incident Response Plan (IRP) for third-party incidents to ensure swift containment.
• Partner with vendors who have adopted frameworks like SOC 2 or ISO 27001.

Quantum computing threats

For years, quantum computing seemed like a distant theoretical concept. In 2025, it is becoming a tangible reality, bringing unprecedented risks to the cybersecurity world. Once these machines reach practical maturity, they will render many of today’s cryptographic standards obsolete, enabling attackers to decrypt sensitive data in moments — even data that has been securely stored for years.

The stakes are high. Research suggests that adversarial nations and advanced cybercriminal groups are already storing encrypted data with the expectation of breaking it once quantum computing capabilities become viable. This “harvest now, decrypt later” strategy puts sensitive communications, intellectual property, and personal data at future risk.

For CISOs, waiting until the first breach happens isn’t an option. Preparing now means identifying systems reliant on legacy encryption, investing in quantum-safe algorithms, and collaborating with experts to pilot quantum-resistant solutions. The era of quantum threats is no longer a matter of “if” but “when.”

What’s at stake?

• Compromised encryption of sensitive data, both current and archived.
• Long-term risk as quantum breakthroughs challenge foundational security assumptions.

Action plan for CISOs

• Inventory systems reliant on traditional encryption and prioritize them for quantum-safe transitions.
• Leverage Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) platforms for controlled experimentation.
• Engage with cryptographic experts to pilot quantum-resistant algorithms.

AI-driven threats and opportunities

In recent years, we’ve seen how AI has rapidly advanced, transforming industries and reshaping cybersecurity. Security professionals have harnessed AI for proactive threat detection, real-time response, and adaptive defenses.

However, attackers have weaponized AI to amplify the scale, sophistication, and frequency of cyberattacks. For instance, 47% of organizations globally have reported deepfake incidents, with some resulting in severe financial losses. One notable case involved the CEO of a U.K. energy firm who was deceived into transferring €220,000 to a supposed Hungarian supplier after receiving a convincing deepfake-generated voice call. This incident highlights the alarming potential of AI in facilitating phishing, ransomware, and fraud.

For CISOs, these developments underscore the critical need to fortify systems and educate teams. Strengthening defenses against AI-driven threats like deepfakes and automated phishing attacks is essential for protecting organizational assets and maintaining trust with stakeholders.

What’s at stake?

• Faster, more adaptive attacks that exploit vulnerabilities before they’re patched.
• Growing reliance on automation, which attackers can turn against us.

Action plan for CISOs

• Invest in predictive threat analysis to stay ahead of emerging tactics.
• Collaborate with AI researchers to understand adversarial AI and develop countermeasures.
• Automate response workflows to reduce human error and reaction time during incidents.

Cybersecurity skill shortage

Globally, 71% of organizations have unfulfilled cybersecurity positions. The talent gap in cybersecurity remains a pressing concern, exacerbating the challenges of adopting advanced frameworks like Zero Trust and quantum-safe security.

A shortage of skilled professionals not only slows down the implementation of these vital security measures but also limits the capacity to effectively respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Without the right expertise, organizations struggle to stay ahead of evolving risks and safeguard their most valuable assets.

However, CISOs can take proactive steps to mitigate the impact of this talent shortage. CISOs must foster a cybersecurity-first culture, promoting security awareness and training across all departments. By doing so, they can reduce the pressure on specialized security teams while building a more resilient organization.

What’s at stake?

• Delayed adoption of advanced security measures like Zero Trust.
• Increased risk exposure due to understaffed teams.

CISO action plan:

• Partner with universities and training institutions to nurture future talent.
• Offer competitive compensation and clear career progression paths to reduce attrition.
• Engage third-party vendors to supplement internal capabilities.

Lead your team towards success

2025 is shaping up to be a year of seismic shifts. As CISOs, your responsibility isn’t just to protect — it’s to anticipate, adapt, and lead. With the right strategies and investments, you can turn these threats into strengths and position your organizations to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable world. The pressure to deliver results while managing these challenges is real.

But let's face it — getting bogged down in manual security reviews and vendor assessments isn’t the best use of your time or resources. You need to be strategizing, not stuck in the weeds of repetitive processes. That's where we come in.

Book a call with us today, and let’s talk about how we can help simplify your security reviews so you can focus on what matters most: keeping your organization safe, compliant, and ahead of the curve.