DigiCert recently released its annual forecast of cybersecurity predictions for identity, technology and digital trust expected to shape the landscape in 2025 and the future. These predictions provide a snapshot of the cybersecurity challenges and opportunities enterprises are expected to encounter in the months ahead.
1. Post-quantum cryptography takes off
Post-quantum crytography (PQC) is expected to shift from theoretical frameworks to real-world deployments. With impending announcements from the US National Security Agency (NSA) and growing compliance pressures, PQC adoption will surge and empower industries to embrace quantum-resistant solutions.
2. Chief Trust Officer take centre stage
Digital trust will become a boardroom priority, leading to a rise in Chief Trust Officer (CTOs) who will oversee ethical AI, secure digital experiences and compliance in an increasingly regulated environment.
3. Automation and crypto-agility become a necessity
Industry is shifting towards SSL/TLS certificate lifespans, automation and crypto agility will emerge as critical capabilities for organisations aiming to maintain secure operations amidst evolving standards.
4. Content provenance goes mainstream
In an era of deepfakes and digital misinformation, the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) is set to redefine how we verify digital content. Expect to see C2PA’s Content Credential icon become commonplace on images and videos to enhance trust across media platforms.
5. Organisations will demand resilience and zero outages
The CrowdStrike outage this summer underscored the need for better testing of automated updates and stronger digital trust. As IoT adoption grows, concerns about the safety of over-the-air updates, particularly in self-driving car space, are prompting calls for greater transparency in security practices. The Cyber Resilience Act, effective in 2027, will drive stricter cybersecurity standards, fostering a more secure and trustworthy IoT ecosystem.
6. AI-driven phishing attacks will grow
The proliferation of AI will fuel an unprecedented surge in sophisticated phishing attacks, making them harder to detect. Attackers will be leveraging AI to craft highly personalised and convincing phishing campaigns, while automated tools will enable them to scale attacks at an alarming rate, targeting individuals and organisations with precision.
7. New private PKI standards like ASC X9 will gain momentum
ASC X9 is poised to gain momentum as industries like finance and healthcare increasingly require customised security frameworks to meet stringent regulatory demands and unique operational needs.
Unlike public PKI, ASC X9 offers greater flexibility by enabling tailored policies and trust models, addressing critical areas such as data integrity and authentication. This ability to foster secure, scalable, and interoperable frameworks will make ASC X9 a preferred standard for organisations prioritising trust and collaboration.
8. Cryptography bill of materials (CBOM) gains traction
In response to escalating cybersecurity threats, CBOMs will become a vital tool for ensuring digital trust by cataloging cryptographic assets and dependencies, enabling better risk assessments.
9. The era of manual certificate management ends
Manual management of certificates, still common in nearly a quarter of enterprises, will phase out as automation becomes indispensable for handling shorter certificate lifespans and stricter security protocols.
10. Organisations continue to prioritise fewer vendors
In spite of concerns about single-vendor risks and a peak of venture capital funding for AI startups, enterprises will continue to consolidate vendors to simplify management, improve integration, and enhance overall security practices.
“The relentless pace of innovation is not just reshaping our digital lives—it’s exposing new vulnerabilities faster than we can secure them, demanding a bold rethinking of how we approach cybersecurity,” said Jason Sabin, CTO at DigiCert. “The predictions for 2025 underscore the urgent need to stay ahead of these vulnerabilities by driving quantum readiness, enhancing transparency, and reinforcing trust as the bedrock of our rapidly changing digital ecosystem. DigiCert remains committed to shaping and securing future digital innovation to remain ahead of the vulnerability curve.”
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