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* Forecasting the 2025 Clou...

# Forecasting the 2025 Cloudscape

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By [Amol Mathur](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/amol-mathur/?ts=markdown "Posts by Amol Mathur")  
Dec 05, 2024  
6 minutes  
[Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown)  
[Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown)  
[Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/predictions/?ts=markdown)  
[2025 Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/2025-predictions/?ts=markdown)  
[AI driven security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/ai-driven-security/?ts=markdown)  
[cloudscape](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/cloudscape/?ts=markdown)  
[CNAPP](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/cnapp/?ts=markdown)  
[Prisma Cloud](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/prisma-cloud/?ts=markdown)

## 2025 Cloud Security Trends and Challenges from Prisma Cloud Leadership

As we prepare to step into 2025, cloud security continues to remodel in response to emerging needs -- the wide adoption of AI, regulatory demands and increasing cyberthreats. Our company's cloud security leaders are on the heels of these threats with [Palo Alto Networks global 2025 predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/why-paloaltonetworks/cyber-predictions), laying out the top cloud security predictions for the coming year.

In the year ahead, protecting cloud environments won't just be the top priority -- it will be imperative. With organizations moving substantial amounts of data for AI-driven workflows to the cloud, the dependency on cloud infrastructures has taken on new depths. This shift, coupled with the expanding attack surface, has magnified the importance of comprehensive strategies for cloud security.

The urgency for enhanced cloud protection comes from several developments. First, we've seen a notable surge in cloud-based threats, such as ransomware, data exfiltration and [advanced persistent threats (APTs)](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/state-of-cloud-native-security), with attackers specifically targeting rich data and access points connected to AI models and sensitive corporate assets. Additionally, recent high-profile breaches have demonstrated the cascading impacts across supply chains when cloud environments are compromised, prompting a more fervent resolve among security leaders to fortify these assets.

In response, organizations across regulated industries -- most notably healthcare, finance and government -- will intensify their cloud security measures to help prevent operational disruptions and comply with tightening regulations. Updated security standards will demand more rigorous protections for data stored in the cloud.

### Prediction 1 --- Increasing Cloud Threats Will Drive Market Consolidation

We see a fundamental shift in organizational priorities toward cloud security solutions that emphasize prevention and remediation over simple threat detection. As cyberthreats grow more complex, businesses will demand platforms that identify and automatically mitigate risks, transforming cloud security into a proactive defense strategy. Organizations have grown weary of security products that merely flag threats. They want *and* *need* solutions that help prevent risks from reaching production. The demand for quantifiable improvements in metrics, like breach reduction and response times, will drive market consolidation, rewarding vendors that deliver genuine, measurable value. To that end, we think we'll see the market lean toward vendors providing seamless and adaptable, end-to-end cloud security solutions.

### Prediction 2 --- Cloud Security Becomes a SOC Priority

While traditional security operation centers (SOC) and cloud security functions remain distinct, they'll become more interconnected in 2025. SOC teams will expand their involvement in and prioritize cloud security to detect and respond to threats, prevent breaches and help maintain compliance with security requirements. A feedback loop between these teams will enable each function to learn from and reinforce the other. Platforms that "speak the same language" will facilitate this synergy, supporting communication, coordinated responses and an integrated view of security risks across the organization. Through integration, businesses will strengthen their threat protection and build a cohesive and resilient security posture that can take on current and emerging challenges with greater agility.

### Prediction 3 --- Data Security Will Become Essential to CNAPPs

[Thirty percent of cloud data assets contain sensitive information](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/resources/research/data-security-2023-report), underscoring the central role of [data security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/what-is-data-security) in an organization's security strategy. With the proliferation of GenAI, the need for this role has only intensified.

We see built-in data protection across [cloud-native application protection platforms (CNAPPs)](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/what-is-a-cloud-native-application-protection-platform) becoming standard. CNAPP vendors that embed strong data security protocols into their platforms will gain a competitive edge. Organizations that [prioritize data security within their CNAPPs](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/cloud/cloud-datasecurity) will be better positioned to prevent unauthorized access and data leaks that can compromise business integrity and customer trust.

### Prediction 4 --- Rising Application Security Budgets Will Be Spent on Platforms

We see a trend where organizations are moving their application security budgets from individual tools to unified platforms. According to [Forrester's 2024 State of Application Security](https://www.forrester.com/report/the-state-of-application-security-2024/RES180999), 64% of security decision-makers reported budget increases in this area. The shift is pivotal to achieving comprehensive visibility in one of the most fragmented segments of cybersecurity. Businesses have long relied on multiple vendors for solutions, like [static application security testing (SAST)](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/what-is-sast-static-application-security-testing), dynamic application security testing (DAST), [software composition analysis (SCA)](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/what-is-sca) and [CI/CD security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/what-is-ci-cd-security), which lead to a piecemeal approach. A consolidated platform, however, enables complete visibility into the application security posture, improving the ability to detect and thwart attacks.

### Prediction 5 --- Safeguarding IP in GenAI Code Will Become Critical

As the use of AI-generated code becomes more prevalent, organizations face significant risks related to the inadvertent incorporation of proprietary intellectual property (IP) from training data. AI models are trained on vast datasets that organizations could unknowingly leverage and violate copyright laws, potentially leading to litigation and reputational damage. Rigorous data auditing, quality assurances and compliance frameworks will be vital to protect proprietary IP. Stemming from this, the development of advanced technologies to identify and exclude proprietary content in training data will help organizations ensure the responsible and lawful use of AI in 2025 and beyond.

### Prediction 6 --- Compliance Frameworks Will Tighten for AI Data Handling

We can anticipate stricter global regulations and internal governance frameworks for AI data security. As AI models process and generate increasing volumes of data, new vulnerabilities emerge, requiring more staunch and specialized protections. Regulatory changes will drive organizations to invest in advanced security measures and staff training to help mitigate legal exposure and build trust. Compliance will shift from a legal obligation to a strategy for sustainable growth, one with heightened scrutiny on data used in AI training and stricter model oversight to ensure secure deployment.

### Prediction 7 --- Developers Will Circumvent Restrictive AI Policies, Increasing Risks

As organizations impose AI policies, we predict that some developers, who prioritize speed and agility, may circumvent restrictive regulations to maintain innovation. Their actions could lead to unsanctioned AI use, exposing applications to new vulnerabilities and raising the risk of cyberattacks. To counter these risks, organizations will need to strike a balance by creating security protocols that allow innovation to thrive without compromising safety.

### Prediction 8 --- AI-Powered Malware Will Become a Reality

As [large language models (LLMs)](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/large-language-models-llm) become more prevalent, malicious actors may use them to create AI-powered malware. Sophisticated malware of this nature could generate convincing phishing attacks, automate social engineering and evade traditional detection. The emergence of adaptable, stealthy [AI-driven threats](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/resources/ebooks/unit42-threat-frontier) will force organizations to develop advanced detection and defense strategies. Traditional security measures may prove inadequate, so businesses will need to invest in defenses that can counter these threats.

## Preparing for a Complex Future

[Cloud security objectives in 2025](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/why-paloaltonetworks/cyber-predictions) will challenge organizations to balance innovation with defense strategies. From data security in CNAPPs to the threat of AI-powered malware, our predictions emphasize the importance of proactive security measures, regulatory compliance and unified data security platforms. At Palo Alto Networks, we're committed to lead this transformation, striving to help organizations navigate the shifting challenges with solutions that deliver real, actionable results.

To discover more, see our [7 game-changing predictions for 2025](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/why-paloaltonetworks/cyber-predictions) from Palo Alto Networks.

#### Contributors

Sarit Tager, vice president of Product Management, Prisma Cloud and Dan Benjamin, senior director of Product Management, Prisma Cloud

*** ** * ** ***

## Related Blogs

### [Government](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/government/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/predictions/?ts=markdown), [Public Sector](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/public-sector/?ts=markdown)

[#### 2025 --- Key Predictions Shaping the Public Sector](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/02/2025-key-predictions-shaping-the-public-sector/)

### [Must-Read Articles](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/security-operations/category/must-read-articles/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/predictions/?ts=markdown)

[#### Security Operations in 2025 and Beyond](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2024/12/security-operations-in-2025-and-beyond/)

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[#### 8 Trends Reshaping Network Security in 2025](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2024/12/8-trends-network-security-in-2025/)

### [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Government](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/government/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/predictions/?ts=markdown), [Public Sector](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/public-sector/?ts=markdown)

[#### 2026 Public Sector Cyber Outlook: Identity, AI and the Fight for Trust](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2026/01/public-sector-cyber-outlook/)

### [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/predictions/?ts=markdown)

[#### 2026 Predictions for Autonomous AI](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/11/2026-predictions-for-autonomous-ai/)

### [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [CSO Perspective](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cso-perspective/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Predictions](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/predictions/?ts=markdown), [Unit 42](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/unit42/?ts=markdown)

[#### Securing the AI Before Times](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/08/securing-ai-before-times/)

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