Experian Warns About Artificial Intelligence and Young Hackers in 2025 Predictions
Experian, a global leader in consumer credit reporting, has released its 12th Annual Data Breach Industry Forecast, offering insights into potential cybersecurity trends for 2025. The report highlights new threats that may arise from skilled youth in artificial intelligence and employees trained in AI, as global data breaches continue to rise.
The forecast report presents five key predictions for the upcoming year. It indicates a potential increase in cybercrimes committed by youths who may be drawn into hacking through online platforms such as gaming and social media. The FBI reports that the average age of those arrested for cyber crimes is 19, compared to 37 for other offenses. With the proliferation of laws against online crimes like revenge porn and cyberbullying, a significant rise in the number of prosecuted youths may be observed.
Another prediction points to the likelihood of internal fraud within companies. Employees trained in artificial intelligence may misuse their knowledge to commit fraud against their employers. Experian suggests that at least one major global brand could fall victim to such internal threats in the coming year.
Data centers that support artificial intelligence technologies emerge as potential targets for cyberattacks due to their high energy consumption. An attack could disrupt a nation-state's cloud infrastructure by targeting the power supply necessary for these data centers.
The forecast report also notes a trend where cybercriminals may target each other, anticipating an increase in attacks among hackers for political or financial gain. This indicates a shift in the cybercrime landscape, suggesting that even perpetrators may no longer be safe from attacks.
Experian predicts that dynamic identity verification will replace traditional static methods to counter sophisticated AI-enabled fraud. This will involve the continuous alteration of personal identification information to prevent fraudsters from creating convincing fake documents.
Michael Bruemmer, Vice President of Experian's Global Data Breach Solutions, underscored the growing concern surrounding AI-related incidents, stating that it will become a significant focus in 2025. He noted that while supply chain breaches and ransomware were dominant in 2024, AI may pose a new challenge likely to lead to increased investments in cybersecurity.
Jim Steven, Head of Crisis and Data Intervention Services for Experian's Global Data Breach Solutions in the UK, echoed these views. He forecasts that data breaches will continue at the current pace and that ransomware will become more sophisticated due to AI. Additionally, he anticipates an increase in the misuse of consumer data for reputational harm.
Experian offers international resources for companies affected by security incidents, including IdentityWorksSM Global, multilingual call centers, and notifications across more than 100 countries.