According to KISA’s latest projections, the advancement of digital technologies is expected to bring increasingly sophisticated and diverse cyber threats in 2025. By reviewing the significant security incidents of 2024, we can prepare more robust strategies for future security challenges.
Major Cyber Threats of 2024
Over the past year, a surge in cyber fraud, the refinement of software supply chain attacks, and triple extortion ransomware tactics posed significant threats. Social engineering attacks, such as smishing and QR code-based quishing, exploited public concerns, causing widespread harm. Quishing attacks, in particular, targeted sensitive user data through QR codes, threatening the digital lives of smartphone users.
Supply chain attacks undermined trust in software and update mechanisms, utilizing tactics like digital certificate theft and watering hole attacks to compromise security frameworks. Ransomware attacks became more sophisticated, combining data encryption, the leakage of confidential information, and DDoS attacks, testing corporate response capabilities.
Cyber Threat Outlook for 2025
The cyber threat landscape in 2025 is anticipated to grow more complex and expansive due to technological advancements and global environmental changes.
Generative AI is expected to transform the dynamics of cyber threats entirely. AI models designed for cybercrime may emerge on the dark web, facilitating the creation of tailored spear-phishing emails and malware with ease.
Misuse of deepfake technology is also expected to rise, potentially leading to novel forms of extortion targeting individuals and organizations.
Vulnerabilities in Digital Convergence Systems and IoT
The proliferation of digital convergence systems, such as smart farms and smart cities, is likely to become a key factor in future cyber threats. The rapid expansion of IoT devices introduces numerous security vulnerabilities. Threat actors are becoming increasingly creative and unpredictable, using IoT devices as malware carriers or botnets for DDoS attacks.
Global Changes and Cyber Threat Acceleration
Global shifts in politics and economics could further accelerate cyber threats. Political tensions and economic conflicts may fuel the activities of hacktivist groups, resulting in sophisticated cyberattacks against specific nations. Additionally, the growing adoption of pro-crypto policies is likely to increase economic crimes surrounding cryptocurrencies. Attacks targeting cryptocurrency exchanges, users, and blockchain companies are expected to rise, amplifying economic damage.
Strategic Responses to Emerging Threats
Proactive and systematic security management is essential to address these multifaceted threats. Security must be embedded into the design phase of digital products and services, with continuous monitoring for vulnerabilities during operation. Strengthening collaboration between the private and public sectors is crucial to enhancing cyber threat detection and response capabilities.
As 2025 unfolds as a year of both digital innovation and intensifying cyber threats, organizations must bolster their defenses through security training and penetration testing. Preparing for key threats, such as ransomware and supply chain attacks, is imperative. Leveraging support programs provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT and KISA will also be a critical component of effective cyber defense strategies.
