By TK Keanini, CTO at DNSFilter

Better, more robust cybersecurity is not a new need for today's digital organizations; it's a perennial one. What's new are the particular challenges these organizations face due to the advent of AI technologies and hybrid work models, among other changes. Such realities call for not just new tools but new ways of thinking. Securing modern businesses is a matter of staying updated on the latest threats, updating tools and looking at security from the attacker's perspective.

Here are four predictions on what will be required in 2025 to secure company networks.

Zero Trust will become the dominant model

By 2025, Zero Trust will be the dominant architecture model, fully replacing outdated perimeter-based models. Security controls will focus increasingly on the workforce and workloads rather than just the workplace, leading to enhanced protection across diverse environments.

Data privacy will be a competitive differentiator

Data privacy will emerge as a crucial factor in vendor selection, driven by widespread concerns over data mishandling and breaches-especially in the wake of FBI warnings to only use end-to-end encrypted messaging. Organizations will prioritize partnerships with vendors demonstrating strong data stewardship and robust privacy practices. As consumers become more aware of how their data is managed and of their data privacy rights, companies that fail to prioritize data protection will risk losing business. I also believe we will see the beginning of privacy regulation around using our likenesses - for instance, in AI-generated content - where consent will become mandatory.

Generative AI's increased threats will require secure automation and a hacker's mindset

By 2025, generative AI will be integrated into nearly every business and department, significantly boosting productivity. However, this will also introduce new security risks that organizations will need to address. Simply automating tasks won't be enough. A focus on secure automation and responsible AI practices will be essential.

Additionally, creating cyber exploits will become easier as the barrier to entry lowers-all cyber threats are becoming AI-driven or AI-optimized cyber threats. Individuals need to think like hackers rather than rely solely on coding skills, making the cybersecurity landscape more complex and challenging.

Security tools will need to be proactive, automated and faster

Perimeter security has gone the way of the dinosaur. It is difficult to secure an organization that is dispersed across hybrid environments, where the perimeter is no longer existent. By 2025, many current cybersecurity tools will become outdated, as they still reflect a perimeter-based mentality. In today's world, effective defense is necessary for every device and every location where people live, work, and play.

Organizations will need proactive tools that don't wait for an attack to happen. Instead, these tools will run tests and simulations on themselves to ensure they can maintain operational continuity in both good times and bad. Automation will be crucial, as it must continuously test and model threats with every network change before attackers can exploit vulnerabilities.

A key shift in cybersecurity strategies will be "tempo." As the pace of change and attacks increases, defenders must also quicken their responses. Those who don't keep up will be vulnerable.

Embracing new solutions for a more secure 2025

Threats evolve, and so should an organization's threat protection strategies and solutions. Those who have been reluctant thus far to update their tools and processes must act quickly to avoid reputation-damaging data breaches. AI is just too powerful a technology to ignore or put off any longer since attackers are taking full advantage of it already. Automation is an essential component, as well, to reduce the manual maintenance required of cybersecurity or IT teams when it comes to defining and implementing security protocols. Zero Trust and data privacy will become critical elements of a comprehensive protection strategy so that no matter where end users find themselves, protection will follow. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TK Keanini, Chief Technology Officer, DNSFilter   

TK Keanini is the Chief Technology Officer at DNSFilter where he leads product management, customer experience, engineering, and security intelligence toward ongoing innovation and growth, focusing on customer needs and feedback to determine product direction.    

TK brings more than 30 years of networking and security experience to his role as CTO. Notably, in 2017 TK and his team were recognized for their innovative work on Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA) and awarded the prestigious Cisco Pioneer Award.   

Prior to joining DNSFilter, he led Cisco's Encrypted Traffic Analytics security solution, where he saw revolutionary potential in the ability to gain insights through existing network telemetry. Additionally, TK served as CTO for Lancope where he and his team built the award-winning Stealthwatch^TM product line. As CTO at nCircle in 2001, he drove their technical direction to define and lead the Vulnerability Management market. TK is a founding member of many security standards such as CVE and remains active in standard bodies that promote multi-vendor interoperability. As a highly regarded industry expert, TK's opinions and unique perspective have been featured in top tier publications and he is a frequent main-stage speaker at industry events.