Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2025. Read them in this 17th annual VMblog.com series exclusive. By Lawrence Pingree, VP of Technical Marketing, Dispersive
This last year has seen attacks against networks and VPN infrastructure,
and we expect even more of these disturbing trends in 2025:
Increased Sophistication: Hackers will likely continue to
refine their techniques, leveraging advanced tools and strategies to exploit
vulnerabilities and bypass security measures. This includes utilizing AI and
machine learning to automate attacks and make them more effective.
Targeting VPNs: VPNs will remain a prime target, as they
provide access to sensitive data and systems. Expect to see more attacks aimed
at exploiting VPN vulnerabilities and compromising user credentials. It's more
important than ever to educate users about phishing threats: phishing remains
the primary cause of data breaches (80-95%).
Lateral Movement: Once inside a network, hackers will focus
on lateral movement, seeking to gain access to additional systems and data.
This could involve techniques such as privilege escalation and credential
theft. Meaning that Zero Trust network access and technologies like dispersive
become required to address the latest threats.
Data Exfiltration: The ultimate goal of many attacks will be
to exfiltrate sensitive data, such as customer information, financial records,
and intellectual property. Hackers may employ various methods to steal data,
including malware, phishing, and social engineering.
Disruption of Operations: In addition to data theft, hackers
may also aim to disrupt business operations, causing downtime and financial
losses. This could involve launching denial-of-service attacks or deploying
ransomware to cripple critical systems.
Evolving Tactics: Hackers will constantly adapt their
tactics to stay ahead of security defenses. This means that organizations must
remain vigilant and proactive in their security efforts.
Here are some additional insights from 2024 that further
clarify what organizations need to do in 2025:
- The Check Point Quantum Gateway vulnerability
(CVE-2024-24919) highlights the importance of patching vulnerabilities but also
upgrading to VPN technologies that eliminate the attack surfaces exposed
promptly.
- The rise of AI and machine learning in
cyberattacks poses a significant challenge for security professionals, expected
to continue in 2025, but be increasingly multi-dimensional powered by AI.
- Organizations need to adopt a multi-layered
approach to security, combining technology with strong policies and employee
education, focus on Preemptive cyber defense technologies, instead of being so
reliant on detection and response.
What to do?
2025's threat landscape will likely be even more challenging
than in previous years. Prioritizing cybersecurity and investing in robust
defenses is the only way to protect their data and systems.
1. Prioritize VPN security: 56% of organizations
experience VPN-related cyberattacks and 91% share concerns about VPN security. Implementing robust next-generation VPN
security measures is imperative.
2. Adopt zero-trust strategies: 78% of organizations plan to
implement zero-trust strategies, and this is an excellent opportunity for
practitioners to adopt a more secure approach by verifying the identity of all
users and devices before granting access to sensitive resources. No one
wants to be the weakest member of the herd and therefore the easiest target. Stealth
Networking, delivering resilient, high-performance, secure Zero Trust for organizational
cloud transformation, will be a lynchpin of Zero Trust strategies because
attackers "can't hack what they can't
see."
3. Monitor for ransomware attacks: ransomware is one of the top
threats exploiting VPN vulnerabilities (42%), it is crucial to stay vigilant in
monitoring networks for signs of ransomware activity, such as unusual network
traffic or suspicious user behavior.
4. Do regular security audits and penetration testing: The threat
landscape is growing, as the 30% increase in malware attacks between 2023 and
2024 indicates. Security audits and penetration testing can help identify
vulnerabilities before they are exploited by attackers.
5. Invest in incident response planning: With over 7 billion records
exposed in data breaches, a robust incident response plan is essential for
minimizing breach impacts.
6. Implement security measures to prevent DDoS attacks: DDoS
attacks are another top threat exploiting VPN vulnerabilities (30%), and
implementing security measures such as rate limiting and IP blocking can
mitigate these types of attacks.
7. Monitor data breaches closely: The average
cost of a data breach in 2024 is $4.88 million, highlighting the importance of
monitoring for signs of data breaches and taking swift action when they
occur.
8. Keep up to date with security patches and updates: With an
increase in malware attacks between 2023 and 2024 (30%), it is essential to
stay current with the latest security patches and updates for all systems,
including the latest generation of preemptive defense VPNs that Dispersive
provides, to reduce the attack surface and prevent exploitation of known
vulnerabilities.
9. Develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy: By addressing
these statistics and implementing robust security measures, organizations can
reduce their risk exposure and protect against diverse types of cyber threats.
10. Educate users about phishing threats: Phishing
remains the primary cause of data breaches (80-95%). It's essential that your
users know how to recognize and avoid phishing attacks, including those that
may be launched through VPNs.
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