When it comes to budgeting for cybersecurity, one of the most important steps is understanding where to focus your resources. The reality is, not every cybersecurity threat needs to keep you up at night; however, the ones that do can disrupt your entire business if you’re not ahead of them.
Building a smart cybersecurity budget means focusing your resources on the highest-impact threats while ensuring your security program is agile enough to scale with your business.
But here’s the thing: your budget shouldn’t just address today’s risks; it needs to tackle what’s urgent now, while leaving room for what’s coming next.
As we get into 2025, here’s a look at the top threats shaping the cybersecurity landscape and how to ensure your 2025 cybersecurity budget covers the evolving threat landscape.
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Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) & Initial Access Brokers (IABs)
Ransomware has transformed into an organized criminal industry, fueled by Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) models that enable less sophisticated attackers to execute highly damaging campaigns. RaaS lowers the technical barrier for cybercriminals by offering ready-to-use ransomware kits that are easy to purchase, enabling even amateur hackers to launch attacks against small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises alike.
Based on research from eSentire’s Threat Response Unit (TRU), threat actors have consistently targeted SMBs, with Lockbit being the most prolific RaaS threat that uses affiliates for attacks since 2020. In fact, between January 2020 and June 2023, the Lockbit group launched approximately 1,700 attacks against U.S. organizations, many of which were SMBs.
Moreover, Initial Access Brokers (IABs) have further strengthened the ransomware ecosystem by providing attackers with pre-compromised network access. These brokers sell credentials and access to compromised systems on underground forums, turning organizations into easy prey for ransomware affiliates. For instance, VPNs and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) servers are common entry points frequently sold by IABs, offering attackers a foothold into your network for a relatively low cost. It is no surprise that in recent years, more than 40% of these access points were listed for sale on popular Dark Web forums.
For your budget and priorities, this means investing in solutions that can prevent unauthorized access and quickly detect and respond to any breaches. Consider allocating budget for:
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24/7 Managed Detection and Response (MDR): Rapid detection and containment of threats, especially during off-hours, is critical to minimizing damage. This proactive approach not only minimizes potential damage but also significantly reduces downtime in case of an incident. By integrating a 24/7 MDR solution into your security stack, you can improve your overall cyber resilience and maintain business continuity in the face of ransomware threats.
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Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implementing MFA on all remote access services strengthens access controls and significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access, even when credentials are compromised. By adding this additional layer of security, you increase your organization's ability to withstand attacks leveraging stolen or brute-forced passwords.
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Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): EDR solutions provide critical visibility into endpoint activities, allowing for the detection of suspicious behavior, such as file encryption or lateral movement. By proactively addressing potential attacks at the endpoint level, you minimize the attack surface and prevent malware from spreading. This means faster detection, quicker response, and ultimately less damage to your organization's assets and reputation.
Generative AI & Social Engineering at Scale
The rapid growth of Generative AI (GenAI) has introduced a new advantage for launching cyberattacks, particularly for social engineering. AI-powered tools now allow attackers to create convincing phishing emails, deepfake videos, and voice impersonations that are nearly indistinguishable from legitimate communications. These AI-driven attacks are not only more sophisticated but also more frequent, as AI enables cybercriminals to automate phishing campaigns and craft highly targeted attacks at scale.
For instance, a cybercriminal can create a deepfake video of a trusted executive in your organization to manipulate unsuspecting employees into approving a fraudulent financial transaction. This level of personalization and realism makes it increasingly difficult for employees to discern real communications from fraudulent ones, increasing the risks to your organization.
Beyond phishing, AI is also being used to enhance malware, evade traditional detection mechanisms, and optimize the timing of attacks for maximum effectiveness. To stay protected, organizations must invest in AI-powered defenses that can keep pace with these evolving threats.
To address AI-driven threats, you should focus your budget on:
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Advanced Threat Intelligence and Behavior Analytics: Allocating resources toward AI-driven behavior analytics helps to identify and respond to unusual user behaviors in real time, reducing the chance that malicious activities go undetected. The outcome is improved threat visibility across your network and the ability to mitigate advanced threats before they can cause substantial damage, ultimately strengthening your organization’s security posture.
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Phishing and Security Awareness Training for Employees: Regular training equips your employees with the skills to recognize AI-enhanced phishing and social engineering attempts, significantly lowering the chances of falling for such tactics. Running simulations ensures that training remains current and effective, thereby fostering a culture of security awareness across your workforce, which is often the first line of defense against these kinds of attacks.
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24/7 Monitoring and Visibility Across GenAI Usage: With GenAI adoption becoming more widespread, you need to ensure your organization has the visibility needed to track how employees interact with GenAI tools so sensitive information is not inadvertently exposed through unapproved applications.
Credential Theft and Insider Threats
Stolen credentials remain one of the primary ways that attackers can infiltrate corporate networks. Once a hacker has compromised a user’s credentials, either through phishing, brute-force attacks, or malware, they can impersonate legitimate users, allowing them to move laterally across your network and escalate privileges to gain access to sensitive data.
The stealthy nature of credential theft, which often allows attackers to remain undetected for extended periods, makes this threat particularly dangerous. Moreover, the shift to hybrid work models, which has increased the reliance on remote access tools, only increases the risks associated with credential misuse.
What’s more, this threat is compounded by insider risks, whether intentional or accidental. Employees with access to critical systems can cause substantial damage, either by exploiting their privileges or by making mistakes that lead to data leaks.
To mitigate credential theft and insider threats, direct your budget toward:
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Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions: IAM solutions enable you to enforce strict role-based access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to critical systems and data. Implementing IAM not only reduces the potential for credential abuse but also provides centralized control over user access, ultimately reducing your organization's risk of data breaches and insider threats.
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Data Loss Prevention (DLP): DLP solutions are key to ensuring that sensitive information remains secure within your organization. By monitoring and controlling data transfers, whether through email, cloud applications, or removable media, DLP helps prevent unauthorized access or data leakage. Implementing a robust DLP program enhances your organization's ability to detect insider threats and prevent exfiltration of confidential information, which in turn protects your brand reputation and minimizes compliance risks.
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User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA): UEBA tools continuously analyze user behaviors and establish a baseline of normal activities, enabling you to quickly detect and respond to anomalies. By flagging unusual access patterns, such as attempts to access systems outside of business hours or the downloading of unusually large amounts of data, UEBA helps you identify potential insider threats or compromised accounts early. This proactive approach reduces response time and can significantly lower the risk of data breaches and intellectual property theft.
Browser-based Threats & Web Security Gaps
With many organizations conducting business online, web-based attacks have become a critical threat to manage. Browser vulnerabilities are often exploited through malicious extensions, drive-by downloads, and phishing sites designed to mimic legitimate web pages.
Attackers increasingly rely on browser-based tactics to trick users into downloading malware or exposing sensitive credentials. Furthermore, the rise of AI-enhanced malware has only added to the complexity of defending web-based interactions.
The potential damage from browser-based threats is significant, and with most ransomware attacks originating from compromised user activity online, securing this entry point is a cost-effective way to protect your organization.
Therefore, your budget should include investments in:
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Secure Web Gateways (SWGs): SWGs act as a critical control point for filtering web traffic and enforcing security policies. By blocking access to known malicious websites and phishing domains, SWGs help prevent users from inadvertently downloading malware or exposing credentials. Implementing an SWG reduces the chances of browser-based attacks compromising your network and can significantly lower the likelihood of successful phishing attempts, providing stronger control over internet usage within your organization.
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Browser Isolation Technology: By isolating browsing sessions from your core network, browser isolation technology prevents any malware or threats encountered during browsing from spreading to critical systems. This approach provides an additional layer of security by keeping potentially harmful web activity contained, minimizing the chances of infection. As a result, your organization can maintain safe web interactions without compromising user productivity or network security.
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Endpoint Protection with Web Security Controls: Modern endpoint protection solutions go beyond traditional antivirus by offering robust web security features that enforce safe browsing, block access to malicious content, and monitor for abnormal web activities. Integrating endpoint protection with web controls strengthens your organization’s security posture by ensuring that devices used for browsing are continuously protected, reducing the risk of malware infiltrating your network through browser-based channels.
Tackling today’s cyber threats means more than just reacting to the latest headlines. It’s about making strategic, forward-thinking decisions that allow your cybersecurity budget to stretch further, target the right risks, and prepare your organization for what’s coming next.
By prioritizing investments in areas like 24/7 multi-signal MDR, IAM, and advanced threat intelligence, you’re not just addressing immediate threats, you’re building a robust, scalable security program that can evolve with your business.
To learn how eSentire can help you prioritize your cybersecurity budget in 2025, contact an eSentire cybersecurity specialist today.
