Comprehensive Analysis of Cybersecurity Risks and Emerging Threats in 2025
Abstract
This paper presents a comprehensive Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that investigates the evolution, complexity, and impacts of cyber-attacks between 2020 and 2025. Synthesizing findings from four core peer-reviewed articles and supported by industry reports, the study identifies major emerging patterns such as ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS), phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS), AI-driven cyber
operations, and nation-state affiliated campaigns. The commodification of attack tools, proliferation of hybrid threat actors, and escalating incidents targeting critical infrastructure are observed. Financial damages from ransomware alone surpassed $1.1 billion in 2023, and total recovery costs per breach reached an average of $2.73 million by 2024. The analysis highlights how cybercriminal and geopolitical motivations are increasingly intertwined, demanding adaptive, intelligence-led, and regulatory-aligned defense mechanisms.
The review concludes by recommending predictive AI-based detection, sectoral collaboration, and a zero-trust security architecture as core strategies for resilience.
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