Key Cybersecurity Lessons from 2024 and Trends to Watch in 2025

As we continue to enter into 2025, it provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year’s achievements, challenges, and transformative events. 2024 has been marked by significant developments across various domains, including regulatory shifts, technological breakthroughs, and operational changes that have reshaped industries and organizations worldwide. Taking the time to review these advancements not only helps us understand the progress made but also prepares us to navigate the opportunities and challenges of the future with greater insight and confidence.

Throughout this article, we will take a closer look at the major changes and innovations that defined 2024, exploring how these shifts impacted businesses and individuals alike. From groundbreaking advancements in technology to new regulatory frameworks that demand compliance and adaptation. Looking ahead, we will also examine the trends and changes expected to shape in 2025. Whether it’s advancements in artificial intelligence, shifts in global regulations, or emerging operational strategies, the year ahead holds immense potential for growth and innovation.

REGULATORY CHANGES

NEW ENFORCEMENT

SEC

Recent developments in new enforcement regulations have introduced stricter requirements for cybersecurity incident reporting and risk management. The SEC's new mandates focus on mandatory incident reporting, increased risk management disclosures, and enhanced board oversight. These changes emphasize the importance of transparency in handling cyber threats, ensuring that companies promptly disclose incidents that could impact investors and stakeholders. By enforcing stricter risk management policies, the SEC aims to improve corporate governance and accountability in cybersecurity matters.

FTC

Similarly, the FTC's revised Safeguard Rule strengthens consumer protection by requiring incident reporting to the FTC whenever a breach impacts more than 500 consumers. Organizations handling sensitive consumer information must now be more vigilant in monitoring, detecting, and reporting security breaches.

CYBER ML

In the housing sector, Cyber ML regulations impose strict reporting requirements on mortgage lenders. Under these rules, any cybersecurity incident involving FHA-approved mortgages must be reported to HUD within 12 hours. This rapid response framework ensures that threats are addressed immediately, protecting homebuyers and the integrity of the financial system.

CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PRIVACY LAWS

New state-level consumer protection and privacy laws are reshaping the regulatory environment across the U.S. Twenty states are set to implement new laws between 2024 and 2026, reflecting a growing emphasis on data privacy and consumer rights. These laws will impose stricter requirements on businesses regarding data collection, storage, and security. As states continue to pass legislation, companies must adapt to a patchwork of evolving regulations to remain compliant and safeguard consumer trust.

CMMC CHANGES

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) builds on NIST SP 800-171 v2 for DoD manufacturing with tiers and enforcement. CMMC is intended to protect sensitive but not classified information. The final rule went into effect Dec 16, 2024. When CMMC matures and it is expected to be used for other industries to standardize NIST SP 800-171 compliance requirements.

NIST CSF CHANGES

NIST CSF v2 was released adding a new control domain, Govern. The main focus of the Govern domain is to outline expectations for operational ownership and oversight of the cybersecurity function. The Govern domain defines key responsibilities for executive leadership, board members, and other stakeholders, ensuring that cybersecurity decisions align with business objectives and compliance requirements. It emphasizes accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement, requiring organizations to establish clear policies, assign ownership of cybersecurity risks, and maintain proper oversight structures.

HIPAA CHANGES

A proposed change to the HIPAA Security Rule was made on Dec 27, 2024, to modernize HIPAA security.

Some of the key changes to the Security Rule include:

• Eliminates the distinction between “Addressable” and “Required”.

• New Administrative Requirements:

  • Asset Inventory, Patch Management, Risk Analysis and Evaluation, and Contingency Planning

• New Technical Requirements:

  • Encryption, Network Segmentation, MFA

• Mobile devices are not considered “workstations”

• New and aggressive incident notifications (BAA to CE within 24 hours for access changes or activation of a contingency plan)

  
  

These changes are not expected to be in effect until at least July 2025.

AI REGULATIONS

As AI continues to play a growing role in decision-making across industries, regulators are working to establish safeguards that protect consumers, promote ethical AI use, and mitigate potential risks.

Most AI regulations are currently focused on the following areas:

• Setting rules around the acquisition of AI software

  • These regulations may require organizations to conduct risk assessments, ensure compliance with bias mitigation guidelines, and demonstrate the explainability of AI models before integrating them into critical processes.

• Establishing labeling and dataset disclosures

  • AI models rely on vast amounts of data for training, and regulators are increasingly mandating transparency regarding data sources, labeling methodologies, and potential biases within training datasets. This requirement aims to prevent the use of low-quality, misleading, or biased data that could result in unfair or discriminatory AI-driven outcomes.

• Consumer notification if a decision is made entirely by AI

  • This ensures that individuals impacted by AI-driven decisions—such as credit approvals, hiring processes, or medical diagnoses—are aware that no human intervention was involved. Some regulations go further by requiring businesses to provide consumers with explanations of AI-generated decisions and offering an appeal or human review process, especially in high-stakes scenarios like employment or financial lending.

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

Below is a closer look at some of the most recent technology trends:

• AI Governance: An extension of Data Governance

  • AI governance has emerged as a critical extension of data governance. Organizations are now focused on establishing policies, frameworks, and oversight mechanisms to ensure AI systems operate ethically, transparently, and securely. AI governance includes bias mitigation, explainability, accountability, and regulatory compliance, ensuring that AI-driven decisions are fair and align with ethical guidelines.

• Extended Reality (XR): Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality

  • Extended Reality (XR) is revolutionizing industries by blending digital and physical experiences.

  • Virtual Reality (VR): Fully immersive digital environments used for gaming, training, and simulations.

  • Augmented Reality (AR): Overlaying digital content onto the real world, enhancing applications in retail, healthcare, and navigation.

  • Mixed Reality (MR): A hybrid approach that enables real-time interaction between digital and physical objects.

• Quantum Computing

  • Quantum computing is set to disrupt traditional computing paradigms by leveraging quantum mechanics to perform complex calculations at unprecedented speeds.

• Blockchain beyond crypto

  • Supply Chain Transparency: Enhancing traceability and authenticity in global trade.

  • Smart Contracts: Automating and securing contractual agreements.

  • Identity Management: Enabling secure digital identities and authentication.

• More focus on Smart Cities

  • Smart cities are evolving rapidly, integrating IoT, AI, and data analytics to create more efficient and sustainable urban environments.

• IoT Security

OPERATIONS TRENDS

Operations trends that are on the rise:

• The impact of AI on tech training and staffing.

• A focus on disinformation campaigns as a part of OSINT

• More focus on normalizing regulatory and contractual requirements

  • TISAX/ISO/NIST

• Third-party remains a big concern and focus

• Increased focus and explicit expectations around network segmentation.

CyberForce|Q is here to provide expert support for any questions regarding past and upcoming cybersecurity laws and regulations. Our team specializes in guiding organizations through compliance with industry-leading frameworks such as NIST-CSF, CMMC, PCI, GLBA, and more. Whether you need assistance in understanding new requirements or preparing for compliance, we are committed to helping your organization stay secure.

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Every organization is unique, which is why we meet you where you are in your cybersecurity journey, and tailor our solutions to your needs. – reach out to solutions@cyberforceq.com.

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