With a new Trump administration signaling a preference for tariffs, potential trade wars in 2025 could lead to more active and nefarious cybersecurity threats. In turn, despite what many expect to be a deregulatory approach from the federal government, cybersecurity rules and standards may become more stringent in face of rising risks.

Cybersecurity concerns are growing not only because of predicted increased geopolitical tensions, but because of the impact of emerging technologies. Gen AI, for instance, is making deepfakes more believable than ever before, potentially turbocharging cybercriminals’ phishing attacks.