Gartner has identified six key security trends for 2025, focusing on the effects of factors like conceptual AI, regulation changes, and security burnout.
These trends, according to Gartner, are influenced by the development of relational AI, digital decentralization, supply chain interdependencies, regulation adjustments, prevalent talent shortages, and an ever-changing threat environment. Security and risk management ( SRM ) leaders face a mix of challenges and opportunities this year, according to Alex Michaels, Senior Principal Analyst at Gartner, with the aim of enabling transformation and embedding resilience. In a fast-changing modern world, their efforts to achieve both are important because they support their organization’s aspirations to not only develop but also ensure that their innovations are secure and sustainable.
Instead of traditional organized data like databases, the focus is shifting toward protecting disorganized data, which includes words, images, and videos. According to Michaels,” Many organizations have completely reoriented their investment strategies, which has major implications for large vocabulary type ( LLM) training, data implementation, and assumption processes. In the end, this switch serves as a reminder of the shifting priorities officials must address when communicating the effects of GenAI on their programs.
The administration of device names is a second trend that Gartner has highlighted. The exposure to potential security risks is increased as a result of the implementation of relational AI, cloud services, technology, and DevOps practices. Gartner advises SRM leaders to put together a coordinated, enterprise-wide strategy for robust machine identity and access management ( IAM ) efforts.
SRM officials are looking into defensive AI as a means of enhancing their AI initiatives to have measurable, tangible effects. SRM leaders now have clear responsibilities to safeguard business AI applications, increase cybersecurity with AI, and secure third-party AI consumption, according to Michaels. They can reduce the risks to their cybersecurity programs and increase the likelihood of making progress by focusing on more military, clearly beneficial improvements.
The optimization of security systems is another trend. According to a study conducted by Gartner, organizations manage an average of 45 security devices. In light of the development of more than 3, 000 vendors in the field, Ic leaders are thus urged to simplify and validate their security controls to maintain an effective protection posture.
The need to expand security behavior and culture programs ( SBCPs ) is also raised. Gartner points out that SBCPs will be important in improving security posture. By 2026, the use of generative AI combined with an integrated platforms-based approach is anticipated to reduce employee-driven cybersecurity incidents by 40 %.
As pressing issues, security stress and its repercussions on organizations are identified. According to Michaels, “Cybersecurity burnout and its organizational impact may be recognized and addressed in order to maintain cybersecurity program effectiveness. The most successful SRM leaders prioritize their personal stress management, as well as team-wide wellness initiatives that demonstrate improved individual resilience.