Cybercriminals continue to develop their methods, and more rapidly than ever. Only those who know the latest tactics can defend themselves effectively. In the Cybercrime Trends Report 2025, Sosafe explains how cybercriminals are currently doing and how you can protect your organization.

By December 2024, we asked 500 security experts and over 100 customers to get an idea of ​​the current threat situation. The result is clear: cybercriminals are increasingly ambitious, more strategy and efficient. They use each area of ​​our digital life and no longer only aim at company networks, but also increasingly increasingly off the private sector in order to gain access to organizations. Of the total of six current trends, we present three particularly relevant trends here.

1. AI creates new attack vectors

Cybercriminals use AI to their advantage – and this several times. On the one hand, you use AI technology for sophisticated cyber attacks, for example in the form of realistic Deepfakes. Ki also helps you to attack very efficiently and, for example, generate countless phishing emails at the push of a button. Recently, the CEO of a large company fell victim to a multi-channel envelope attack: attacking imitated imitations by means of voice cloning and thus got the money and personal data from employees.

At the same time, AI also enlarges the target area. Many organizations use self-developed AI tools, which often lack the necessary protective mechanisms. This makes them a large weak point that can expose sensitive information to the attacker and can handle safety systems unnoticed.

What to do?

• Training: Your employees must be aware of the skills and risks of AI and recognize AI-based attacks. With your own AI technologies, security should be the top priority.
• Use several specialized AI systems: General AI that has access to all data carries massive risks. Isolate training data records so that each department only sees the data it needs to work.
• No exceptions for KI: Apply the same strict guidelines to AI outputs and AI-related decisions, which also apply in your organization.

2. Multi-channel attacks on the advance

Attackers use several channels at the same time to avoid protective measures. You take your target persons into the crossfire with a combination of email and social media, telephone calls and messenger apps and take advantage of information about your target person you have found on the Internet. The attack on a CEO mentioned above illustrates the good: the attacking buildings on WhatsApp trust, then interacted with their victim via Microsoft Teams and then carried out Deepfake calls in order to get sensitive data and money.

These attack methods are difficult to recognize for target persons as well as companies or authorities, since they are often carried out using platforms with inadequate protective measures.

What to do?

• Carry out training: Your employees must know the procedures of cybercriminals. Clarify the most important strategies and attack channels to strengthen the safety ghost.
• Only communicate via safe tools: At collaboration tools, make sure that external only has access if it is urgently required.
• Strengthen central access controls: important protocols, such as the separation of responsibilities and the Least privilege access, must be implemented effectively and checked regularly.

3. A lack of cyber resilience endangers the security of important services

Smaller organizations and the public sector can hardly keep up with large companies and regulated industries when it comes to cyber security – and the gap is getting deeper. Unlike heavily regulated sectors such as the financial industry and global corporations, critical infrastructures, healthcare or medium -sized companies have too few resources to gain sufficient specialists and to be able to protect themselves effectively. In this way, they are becoming increasingly attractive as the target for cyber criminal and state -financed actors.

This imbalance is a systemic weak point that endangers the common good and economic stability.

What to do?

• Consider recognized frameworks: Even if you are not obliged to do so – build your strategy on proven guidelines such as ISO 27001 and NIST CSF.
• Orientate on more mature industries: Ask organizations in heavily regulated sectors what protective measures they introduce for more resilience, and then look for cheap alternative solutions that are suitable for the requirements of your industry.
• Use new channels to attract specialists: build partnerships with universities and vocational schools. Offer internship and training positions to attract versatile qualified specialists.

Bite the foreheads with united forces

Cyber ​​attacks are becoming increasingly numerous, complex and more targeted – but we can defend ourselves. To improve our cyber resilience, we should above all work together: work together. Organizations of different sectors have to join together, exchange information and strengthen their defense together. With innovative technology and a strong security culture, we will succeed in being two steps ahead of the cybercriminals.

All trends and tips for 2025

In addition to the merged above, we have identified three other trends that affect supply chains and personal identities, for example. If you want to learn more, read the complete Cybercrime Trends Report 2025 from Sosafe with all trends and even more practical tips.