Editor’s Note: The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025, a new report from the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Accenture, highlights the unprecedented complexity of today’s cyber landscape. Geopolitical tensions, advanced technologies, and professionalized cybercrime demand urgent attention from global leaders. This report offers critical insights and actionable strategies for cybersecurity, information governance, and eDiscovery professionals striving to navigate these challenges. From the risks posed by emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing to the vulnerabilities in interconnected supply chains, the report emphasizes the need for proactive risk management, workforce development, and cross-sector collaboration. As cyber resilience becomes increasingly vital to organizational and societal stability, this report is an essential resource for professionals committed to shaping a secure digital future.


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Industry News – Cybersecurity Beat

From AI to Quantum Computing: The World Economic Forum’s Cybersecurity Outlook

ComplexDiscovery Staff

The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025, published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Accenture, explores the rapidly evolving challenges in cyberspace. As geopolitical tensions escalate, cybercrime becomes more sophisticated, and emerging technologies introduce both risks and opportunities, organizations must navigate an increasingly interconnected and complex threat landscape. This report provides vital insights for leaders striving to bolster cyber resilience and adapt to the realities of a digital-first world.

Cybercrime has matured into a professionalized industry, with advanced models like Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) and Cybercrime-as-a-Service (CaaS) allowing malicious actors to scale their operations. The commoditization of these services has removed technical barriers for entry, enabling even those with limited expertise to launch significant attacks. Among the most concerning trends is the integration of Generative AI (GenAI), which amplifies the capabilities of cybercriminals. These tools automate phishing campaigns, generate realistic deepfake content, and personalize attacks, making them more effective. Alarmingly, nearly half of the organizations surveyed identified AI-enhanced cybercrime as a primary concern, and over 40% reported experiencing successful social engineering attacks within the past year.

Geopolitical instability further complicates the cyber landscape. Almost 60% of surveyed leaders stated that geopolitical tensions have directly influenced their cybersecurity strategies. Nation-state actors and their proxies target critical infrastructure and supply chains, exploiting the interconnected nature of these systems. A stark example was the 2024 CrowdStrike IT outage, which underscored the risks of relying heavily on key providers. Such incidents demonstrate the fragility of global supply chains, which over half of large organizations identify as their greatest cybersecurity challenge. The lack of visibility into third-party vulnerabilities exacerbates these risks, making supply chain security a top priority for resilience.

Compounding these challenges is the growing complexity of global cyber regulations. While the proliferation of regulations enhances baseline security, the lack of harmonization creates significant compliance burdens for organizations operating across jurisdictions. Many leaders report difficulties in ensuring their third-party suppliers meet regulatory requirements, highlighting the pressing need for global alignment in cybersecurity standards. At the same time, the widening cybersecurity skills gap is undermining organizational resilience. Two-thirds of organizations face moderate-to-critical workforce shortages, and public sector entities are disproportionately affected, with nearly half unable to meet their cybersecurity objectives. Addressing this gap requires significant investment in education, training, and programs that diversify the talent pipeline. Initiatives like Africa’s Cyber Girls program exemplify how targeted efforts can create opportunities for underrepresented groups while building essential workforce capacity.

Emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and quantum computing add another layer of complexity. While many organizations recognize the transformative potential of these technologies, they often underestimate the associated risks. For example, quantum computing poses a looming threat to current encryption protocols, and though efforts like NIST’s post-quantum cryptography standards are critical, only 40% of organizations have begun preparing for this challenge. Similarly, the rapid adoption of AI tools creates vulnerabilities when deployed without adequate security assessments, an area where many organizations are still lagging.

In the face of these challenges, achieving cyber resilience requires strategic collaboration, proactive risk management, and leadership engagement. Public-private partnerships play a critical role in combating borderless cyber threats. Information-sharing initiatives, such as threat intelligence platforms, help organizations respond more effectively to sophisticated attacks. Similarly, efforts to harmonize regulations globally could reduce compliance burdens and strengthen systemic resilience. Workforce development is another cornerstone of resilience, as organizations must invest in building a pipeline of talent equipped to address both current and future threats. Beyond technical skills, professionals who can bridge the gap between cybersecurity and broader business strategy are increasingly valuable, particularly as the economic implications of cyber risks become more apparent.

The economic dimension of cybersecurity is profound. With cybercrime causing an estimated $12.5 billion in losses in 2023, the financial toll on organizations is immense. Yet cyber insurance remains accessible primarily to larger entities, with 71% of large organizations expressing confidence in their coverage, compared to just 35% of small businesses. This disparity highlights the growing inequities in cybersecurity, where smaller organizations often lack the resources to invest in robust protections. Government incentives, akin to subsidies for renewable energy, could help bridge this gap and enable smaller entities to adopt proactive security measures.

For professionals in cybersecurity, information governance, and eDiscovery, the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 offers a roadmap for navigating these complexities. Cybersecurity practitioners must leverage advanced detection systems and continuously refine their strategies to counter increasingly sophisticated threats. Governance experts can use the insights to advocate for streamlined compliance frameworks and align organizational policies with emerging regulatory requirements. Meanwhile, eDiscovery professionals face new challenges as AI-enhanced cyber crime complicates the verification of digital evidence, necessitating a focus on securing supply chains and mitigating advanced risks.

Ultimately, the report underscores that cyber resilience is not solely a technical challenge but a collective responsibility. Organizations must work together to address systemic vulnerabilities and foster collaboration across sectors. Leadership plays a pivotal role in driving this cultural shift, ensuring that cybersecurity is viewed not as an operational cost but as a strategic investment critical to long-term success.

The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 provides an invaluable lens through which to view the evolving threat landscape. By embracing the report’s recommendations and prioritizing collaborative, forward-looking approaches, organizations can navigate the complexities of cyberspace and contribute to a safer, more resilient digital ecosystem.

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