🌊AI-powered and deepfake-enabled cyberattacks are set to become more frequent and sophisticated in 2025, posing significant risks to critical sectors like healthcare and finance, warns the India Cyber Threat Report 2025 by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and Seqrite.
⛦The report highlights a surge in AI-driven phishing campaigns leveraging deepfake technology to create highly convincing fraudulent messages. These attacks will use personalized vectors, making detection harder. AI-driven malware will evolve dynamically, bypassing conventional security measures, while data poisoning attacks could compromise the integrity of AI systems in areas such as healthcare and autonomous transport.
🐬Deepfake technology is expected to produce fake audio and video messages from trusted sources, enabling advanced social engineering attacks. Cybercriminals could deceive users into installing malware or sharing sensitive data, escalating the threat landscape. Additionally, vulnerabilities in supply chains will be exploited, allowing malicious actors to embed corrupted code through compromised development resources or hardware.
♔The accessibility of AI tools will allow attackers to automate and scale their operations, leading to an anticipated rise in ransomware attacks, where victims are forced to pay for data recovery. Furthermore, poorly secured internet devices may become targets for botnet creation, facilitating Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks could disrupt essential services in industries reliant on edge computing, such as manufacturing and healthcare.
🍬Critical infrastructure sectors in India—including healthcare, finance, and energy—are identified as prime targets. Cybercriminals aim to disrupt services, steal sensitive data, and exploit geopolitical tensions. Fraudulent applications mimicking government services and investment platforms are also predicted to rise, combining social engineering and advanced malware for large-scale financial fraud and identity theft.
༒Cryptojacking, where malware covertly mines cryptocurrency using hijacked resources, is also expected to grow as cryptocurrency mining becomes more lucrative.
෴The report emphasizes the need for organizations to rethink cybersecurity strategies, as traditional models are ineffective against emerging threats like zero-day exploits, polymorphic malware, and advanced persistent threats (APTs). It recommends adopting AI and machine learning (ML) for faster threat detection, predictive intelligence, and automated incident response.
😼“Organizations must prioritize cyber resilience by enhancing detection capabilities, incident response, and proactive strategies to mitigate risks,” said Sangamesh S, VP of Seqrite Labs. He stressed the importance of safeguarding critical assets in an evolving threat landscape.
ಞThe report unveiled at the 19th Annual Information Security Summit 2024, surveyed 204 organizations and their executives, urging enterprises to embrace AI-driven security measures to combat future cyber threats effectively.
ꦓ(This article is a reworked version of a PTI feed.)
