Vectra AI's 2025 cybersecurity insights for APJ highlight AI

Vectra AI has unveiled its 2025 cybersecurity predictions for the Asia Pacific and Japan regions, emphasising the pivotal role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity while also highlighting the necessity for measurable outcomes.

The backdrop for these predictions is a projected global IT expenditure of USD $5.74 trillion by 2025, alongside an anticipated increase in AI-related technology investments to USD $337 billion, as forecasted by leading industry analysts. Vectra AI's expertise aims to assist Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in resource allocation and anticipation of potential attack vectors in the coming year.

Sharat Nautiyal, Director of Security Engineering for Asia Pacific and Japan at Vectra AI, commented on a growing discernment among organisations regarding AI-driven tools due to high costs and a lack of clear, demonstrated value. He stated, "Organisations are adopting AI tools without understanding their intended purpose, leading to confusion about how these solutions address specific issues."

Nautiyal further remarked on the critical role AI could play if applied appropriately, "Although AI has great potential, it is simply a toolset not a cure-all for cybersecurity problems. Organisations must evaluate strategies to effectively leverage AI for real challenges."

Vectra AI's predictions indicate that cyber attackers will increasingly utilise AI, with Nautiyal noting, "All attacks will likely involve Generative AI (GenAI), facilitating infiltration and identity-based attacks. Methods like deepfakes and remote code exploits will evolve. As AI matures, these tactics will continue to advance."

Emphasising regulatory aspects, Nautiyal warned, "Compliance offers basic guardrails, but compliance alone doesn't determine how a threat actor will behave. Good security posture is what matters." Such remarks underscore the company's stance that while compliance is necessary, it is not a substitute for robust security measures.

Nautiyal also addressed the oversaturation of AI marketing in cybersecurity, stating, "Educating customers on genuine AI application is crucial as is rigorous testing to separate hype from reality. While AI drives innovation in threat detection and response, not all advancements are equally effective. Organizations must prioritize outcomes and stay focused, to avoid the pitfalls of marketing noise."

Among Vectra AI's predictions is the anticipated fatigue over the term "AI", which they believe will prompt vendors to demonstrate value more clearly to organisations in the APJ region. The organisation also foresees attackers leveraging AI to exploit security tool vulnerabilities, with a need for strong Network Detection and Response (NDR) solutions to mitigate evolving threats.

The predictions further highlight the risk posed by identity-based attacks, urging organisations to employ continuous testing for identity breaches and prioritize robust identity management frameworks.

Vectra AI concludes with a cautionary note regarding enterprise breaches potentially traced back to AI agent misuse. The company advocates for comprehensive safeguards and ethical guidelines to be put in place to prevent the misuse of AI technologies and ensure their responsible application.

Through these 2025 predictions, Vectra AI calls on organisations to adopt proactive and results-driven strategies to stay ahead of evolving threats in an increasingly complex digital setting.