The role of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) may not be as glamorous as it seems, according to the predictions made by IT security specialists at WatchGuard Technologies for the year 2025. They suggest that the challenges faced in this role are not just technical but also involve dealing with human emotions and governance issues.
One of the main challenges identified for CISOs by security experts is the increasing number of legal requirements, including the expectation for the responsible manager to personally vouch for the IT security integrity of the company. Alongside these legal risks, the threat of burnout among IT professionals is also on the rise. This results in a vicious cycle where increased cost pressures lead to high staff turnover and a decrease in the willingness of qualified candidates to take on the role of CISO. This, in turn, widens the gap in internal cybersecurity capabilities and increases stress levels.
In addition to the challenges associated with the role of a CISO, WatchGuard specialists have identified three more important themes that user companies should keep an eye on in 2025.
The malicious use of multimodal AI technology is seen as a major concern, as cybercriminals will be able to create complete attack chains with minimal effort. By leveraging multimodal AI systems, hackers will be able to integrate text, images, speech, and code to automate entire attack chains. This enables them to profile target individuals through social media, create and spread convincingly real phishing content including voice phishing, identify zero-day exploits, generate malware that bypasses endpoint protection mechanisms, and automate lateral movements within compromised networks for data exfiltration.
Another key trend identified is the normalization of software compromise by cybercriminals, who will focus on compromising little-known but widely used third-party open-source libraries in 2025. This long-term approach involves targeting the software supply chain over an extended period to introduce malicious code under the guise of legitimacy, allowing for the widespread distribution of malware.
The emergence of GenAI technology presents new attack surfaces for cybercriminals, even though its transformative effects have not met expectations in many user companies. The technology has significantly impacted areas like audio and video generation and has gained attention with deep fake media manipulation. This poses significant risks, as GenAI is expected to be combined with other sophisticated tactics to deceive businesses and engage in fraudulent transactions.
Despite the increasingly complex IT security challenges, there have been some positive developments. Law enforcement agencies are becoming more adept at thwarting cyberattacks and disrupting criminal activities, reducing the incentive for hackers to engage in illegal activities. Additionally, the use of AI in cybersecurity is helping organizations detect and defend against cyber threats more effectively, with anomaly detection capabilities improving control measures and allowing for proactive threat detection.
Overall, the landscape of cybersecurity is evolving rapidly, with new technologies creating both opportunities and challenges for organizations in their efforts to protect against cyber threats in the future. As the role of the CISO becomes more demanding and critical, it is essential for companies to stay vigilant and adapt to the changing cybersecurity landscape to safeguard their digital assets and mitigate risks effectively.