Cybersecurity in 2025: Insights and Predictions for Small Business

As we move into 2025, the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, presenting new challenges for Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Increasing threats like AI-driven phishing and the widespread use of generative AI to enhance cyberattacks mean that businesses must adapt quickly to stay secure.

The Rise of AI-Driven Cyber Threats

Chad Thunberg, CISO at Yubico, highlights a growing risk: “More than 80% of all cyber attacks start with phishing, primarily due to its relatively low cost and high success rate.” The advent of generative AI is set to further amplify phishing risks, automating attacks and lowering the barrier for cybercriminals. “AI can mimic someone’s writing style or reference relevant and accurate details extracted from previous breaches,” Thunberg explains, making social engineering attempts more convincing. SMEs must be extra vigilant and consider adopting more robust authentication methods like phishing-resistant security keys.

Passkeys: The Future of Authentication

Derek Hanson, VP of Standards and Alliances at Yubico, points out that passkeys are becoming a key technology to replace traditional passwords. However, their successful adoption depends on businesses’ ability to implement effective strategies. “Unless organisations do all the right things and have an effective strategy in place… passkeys won’t reach their potential.” SMEs should begin adopting passkeys and move away from less secure methods, such as SMS-based multi-factor authentication (MFA), which is increasingly vulnerable to exploitation.

Digital Identity Wallets: A New Frontier

Looking ahead, digital identity wallets are expected to gain traction as a secure method for managing personal data. Stina Ehrensvard, Founder of Yubico, explains that these wallets provide users more control over their data and security. As more countries adopt FIDO-based security for digital wallets, SMEs should consider how this new technology could improve their security infrastructure and better protect their customers’ information.

Takeaways for SMEs

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, SMEs in Australia must focus on:

  • Adopting modern authentication technologies like passkeys and MFA that are resistant to AI-driven phishing attacks.
  • Investing in phishing-resistant security keys to protect against the increasing risk of AI-enhanced social engineering.
  • Staying ahead of new trends such as digital identity wallets, which may offer a more secure and user-friendly way to manage sensitive data.

By prioritising these strategies, SMEs can better safeguard their businesses and customers in the face of evolving cyber threats.

The post Cybersecurity in 2025: Insights and Predictions for Small Business appeared first on Small Business Connections.

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