Palo Alto forecasts AI-driven cyber threats in APAC 2025

Palo Alto Networks has released its 2025 cybersecurity predictions for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, highlighting key trends that are expected to shape cybersecurity strategies over the coming year.

In 2024, organisations across the APAC region emphasised the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business processes, including cybersecurity operations, amidst an accelerating "AI arms race."

Despite this focus, a recent PwC report indicates that over 40% of leaders do not fully understand the cyber risks associated with emerging technologies such as Generative AI. The increasing centrality of AI within cybersecurity strategies is anticipated for 2025, with a focus on proactively mitigating risks and securing AI models.

Simon Green, President, Asia Pacific and Japan at Palo Alto Networks, commented, "In 2025, our region will face a perfect storm of AI-driven cyber threats, escalating in scale, sophistication, and impact. The days of fragmented security approaches are over - organisations must pivot to unified platforms powered by transparent and trustworthy AI to stay ahead. As quantum attacks loom and deepfakes become mainstream tools of deception, businesses will either innovate or risk being outpaced by adversaries. The stakes have never been higher, and trust will be the ultimate currency in this new era of cybersecurity. Those who fail to adapt risk not just breaches but irreparable damage to their reputation and resilience."

The predictions also emphasise a shift towards a unified data security platform to address increasing complexity. This shift involves reducing the number of cybersecurity tools in use and adopting a unified platform for enhanced visibility and control. The ongoing cyber skills shortage is likely to accelerate this trend, enabling a more holistic security architecture.

2025 is expected to be a pivotal year for the use of deepfakes in the APAC region, with their application in cyberattacks becoming more prevalent. Deepfakes have already been used for political misinformation and financial scams, such as a case involving an employee at a Hong Kong engineering firm. Savvy criminals are likely to leverage advancing generative AI technology to increase the credibility of these attacks, including audio deepfakes.

The realm of quantum computing also features in the forecasts for 2025. Despite current challenges, nation-state-backed threat actors are anticipated to intensify "harvest now, decrypt later" tactics, targeting highly classified data. Organisations are advised to begin adopting quantum-resistant defences and exploring technologies such as quantum key distribution (QKD) to secure communications.

Palo Alto Networks notes that transparency will be crucial in maintaining customer trust as AI becomes more integrated into cybersecurity. APAC regulators are increasingly focused on data protection and transparency, and organisations are expected to emphasise AI security and data integrity.

There will also be an increased focus on product integrity and supply chain resilience in 2025. Organisations are expected to conduct thorough risk assessments and enhance monitoring, especially within cloud environments where complexity amplifies risks.