Collaboration Required to Fight Cyberattacks: Fortinet

The cyberthreat landscape continues to evolve as cybercriminals develop more complex tools and tactics. Specialized groups now offer services such as ransomware or Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks through Crime-as-a-Service (CaaS) schemes, says Fortinet in its FortiGuard Labs 2025 threat predictions report. In the report, Fortinet highlights the increase in the rate of cyberattacks and the importance of collaborative strategies to mitigate risks.

"Cybercriminals are upping the ante to execute more targeted and damaging attacks, combining physical and digital threats in a landscape of increasing specialization," says Derek Manky, Head of Security Strategy and Global Vice President of Threat Intelligence, FortiGuard Labs, in a press release.

Fortinet emphasizes that the increasing reliance on cloud services and the proliferation of automated tools have opened up new opportunities for targeted attacks, creating significant challenges for organizations and cyber defenders.

Report 2025Predictions 

One of the most prominent developments in cybercrime is the specialization of CaaS groups. The Cyberthreat Predictions for 2025 notes that attackers are investing more time in the initial phases of an attack, such as reconnaissance and weaponization, allowing them to execute much more precise and targeted operations.

"Rather than offering generic kits that serve a wide range of malicious activities, many CaaS groups have focused on more specialized products that optimize each phase of the attack chain and increasing risk for organizations that rely on more traditional cybersecurity approaches," the study reads.

The growth in organizations' adoption of cloud services is also opening new doors for cybercriminals. The reliance on multiple cloud providers has created a more fragmented environment, which, in turn, has led to new vulnerabilities.

According to Fotinet, while the migration to the digital environment is a positive trend as it allows businesses to enhance their efficiency and flexibility, it has also led to an increased risk of attacks targeting these environments. "This phenomenon is already underway, but is expected to increase significantly by 2025 as more companies continue to move their operations and data to the cloud," the report reads.

Another concerning innovation in the cybercrime landscape is the integration of AI and automation into attacks, predicted to intensify in the coming years as attackers use automated tools to improve the accuracy and scale of their operations.

"In the Dark Web, the use of AI to analyze social networks and create automated phishing kits allows cybercriminals to execute massive, personalized attacks with greater ease," says Manky in the report. "These advances not only increase the number of attacks, but also make them harder to detect and prevent."

Cybercriminals are also increasingly combining digital and physical threats, incorporating physical tactics into their attacks, such as intimidation or direct threats to employees and executives.

Fortinet forecasts that cybercriminal groups will increasingly partner with transnational criminal organizations involved in illicit activities such as trafficking drugs, people, or goods. This synergy between digital and physical crime, the report notes, was designed to increase pressure on victims and ensure the success of attacks, in many cases being successful in unblocking payments or forcing organizations to comply with the attackers' demands.

Fortinet Calls for Collaboration to Fight Back

The report calls for broader collaboration in the cybersecurity arena, pointing to initiatives such as the World Economic Forum's Cybercrime Atlas. This atlas enables the public and private sectors to work together to address global threats more effectively.

"Cooperation between organizations, governments and security experts is essential to improving collective resilience," says Manky. "It is vitally important to implement cybersecurity awareness and training programs at the organizational level, ensuring that not only IT and security teams, but all employees, are prepared to identify and mitigate cyber risks."

While cybercriminals will always find new ways to infiltrate organizations, there are numerous opportunities for the cybersecurity community to collaborate to anticipate adversaries' next moves and disrupt their activities, says Manky.