The cybersecurity sector is poised for a shift in perception regarding artificial intelligence (AI) in 2025, according to Andrey Leskin, CTO of Qrator Labs.
“Over the past two years, there have been no significant breakthroughs in AI tools for cybersecurity,” said Leskin.
“AI tools won’t be the silver bullet or magic pill for the industry’s challenges,” he added.
Although some advancements in monitoring and threat detection are expected next year, these will likely fall short of sustaining the current AI hype.
“The initial excitement surrounding AI tools will finally diminish,” Leskin remarked, anticipating a move toward more realistic applications.
“We’re likely to see the first major reports of attacks on LLMs, including real data extraction,” Leskin warned, addressing the vulnerabilities of large language models (LLMs).
“The threat has been lingering for two years, but it now feels more imminent than ever,” he mentioned.
This risk stems from the widespread integration of chatbots into various platforms, which could expose sensitive data and lead to significant challenges for organisations.
“Deepfakes can convincingly mimic personal attributes like voice and face, creating serious risks for individuals and businesses,” Leskin stated, addressing the misuse of generative AI in cyberattacks.
“Employees might receive calls from what appears to be their boss’ number, demanding they take specific actions—such as sending a valuable letter or performing certain tasks,” he added.
He explained that this growing trend underscores the need for robust verification mechanisms and heightened vigilance.
“We can expect a surge in attacks on cryptocurrency systems and smart contracts,” predicted Leskin, citing the near $100,000 valuation of bitcoin as a key factor.
“As the value of digital assets rises”, he continued, “so does the incentive for malicious actors to exploit vulnerabilities in the ecosystem.”
This trend is likely to drive an increase in cyber extortion cases demanding payment in cryptocurrencies.
“The talk of a quantum computer arriving next year is overly optimistic,” Leskin asserted, countering popular speculation about technological breakthroughs in 2025.
“By 2026, we may finally see the emergence of quantum cryptography as a viable method for securing communications,” he added, shifting focus from hardware advancements to encryption technologies.
