In 2024, deepfakes became a major threat, causing market disruptions and privacy concerns. The rapid growth of AI technology has made digital deception easier, stressing the urgent need for enhanced verification systems to protect against misinformation and cyberattacks.
Read Part 1 - 2024 in Review: The Year Artificial Intelligence Met Cyber Chaos (Part 1)
As we reflect on the events of 2024, deepfakes emerged as one of the most significant threats, impacting everything from political landscapes to financial markets. A particularly unsettling example saw a deepfake video of a political leader announcing a fabricated policy, causing a temporary collapse in regional markets. This incident underscored the urgent need for enhanced digital verification systems and watermarking technologies. However, despite growing awareness, industry-wide adoption of these safeguards remained slow, leaving many vulnerable to the continued spread of misinformation.
Throughout 2024, social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok struggled to manage the surge in deepfake content, highlighting the growing responsibility of private companies to combat digital deception. The rapid advancements in generative AI made creating deepfakes more accessible than ever before, allowing bad actors to produce hyper-realistic images, videos, and audio with just a smartphone. This shift has had profound implications, from online fraud and privacy breaches to political manipulation. A recent study by Trend Micro revealed that 80% of respondents had encountered deepfake images, and nearly half had heard deepfake audio, reflecting the technology’s widespread penetration into everyday life.
As we move further into 2025, the shadow of 2024’s deepfake-related challenges continues to loom large, particularly as election seasons and ongoing misinformation campaigns remain a significant concern. Deepfakes were already being used to sway public opinion last year, and their influence is expected to grow in the coming years. With digital media integrity at stake, the challenge of restoring public trust in the face of this evolving threat is more pressing than ever. The situation calls for urgent action, as the potential for deepfakes to disrupt democratic processes and global stability remains a key issue in 2025.
The proliferation of AI-driven cloud attacks marked a turning point for cybersecurity in 2024. Tools powered by generative AI not only automated attacks but also adapted in real-time, evading traditional detection systems. Attackers exploited AI’s ability to craft realistic phishing emails and execute code within user space memory, bypassing sandbox environments.
Organizations faced an uphill battle as they sought to secure their cloud infrastructures. IBM reported that while AI-generated cloud attacks are still in their infancy, the potential for escalation is enormous as the technology matures.
In a surprising turn, AI emerged as both a threat and a solution in global defense. Nations deployed AI for social monitoring, surveillance, and counter-cyber operations. For instance, AI-powered threat detection systems in Israel and South Korea intercepted several large-scale cyberattacks aimed at critical infrastructure.
However, these advancements raised ethical concerns about mass surveillance and the erosion of privacy. The balance between security and individual freedoms remains a contentious debate, with no clear resolution in sight.
As we move into 2025, the events of 2024 serve as a stark reminder of the growing challenges in cybersecurity and AI. Deepfakes and AI-driven cloud attacks highlighted the need for more advanced digital verification and security measures. The rapid evolution of AI technology has both amplified threats and offered new opportunities, underscoring the importance of a proactive, collaborative approach to digital defense. With privacy and democratic integrity increasingly at risk, the balance between innovation and responsibility remains a key concern.
Looking ahead, the future of cyber security hinges on our ability to adapt and innovate. While the road to 2025 is filled with complex challenges, it also presents unparalleled opportunities to enhance societal resilience and security. By embracing AI’s potential for both defense and innovation, we can build a safer, smarter digital world, transforming threats into opportunities for a more secure future.
A Chinese ship captain has been charged in Taiwan for deliberately damaging a subsea cable, marking a rare prosecution tied to infrastructure sabotage. The case highlights growing concerns over global undersea cable vulnerabilities amid rising tensions with China.
Australia is facing a double threat to its financial security: cyberattacks on major superannuation funds and the fallout from Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff declaration. Both have exposed deep vulnerabilities in retirement savings, leaving Australia’s future wealth increasingly at risk.
Major cyber alliances are buckling. Australia’s super funds are under digital siege, the US slashes cyber defenses, and Five Eyes unity is faltering. As threats mount from China and Russia, the West’s fractured response risks emboldening adversaries and weakening global cyber resilience.
The global data centre boom is faltering as credit risks, rising tariffs, and capital costs take hold. Valuations have dropped by as much as 40%, projects are being delayed or cancelled, and hyperscalers are stepping back from long term deals as the sector undergoes a major reset.
