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When Your Neighbor’s Network Is a Gateway: Cyber Threats for 2025 Revealed

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Giuseppe Ciccomascolo
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Key Takeaways
  • Traditional network security is insufficient in addressing vulnerabilities stemming from neighboring systems.
  • The “nearest neighbor attack” demonstrates how attackers exploit physical proximity to breach otherwise secure organizations.
  • Combating these complex threats requires intelligence sharing, collaboration, and collective defenses among businesses and financial institutions.

Businesses today face risks not only from their own vulnerabilities but also from weaknesses in neighboring systems.

Among threats, the “nearest neighbor attack” exemplifies this, as attackers exploit nearby networks to reach their targets.

These challenges, combined with evolving threats like autonomous system hacks, underscore the urgent need for advanced, collaborative cybersecurity measures.

Your Neighbor, Your Vulnerability

For businesses, securing their own networks is no longer enough, as they are now vulnerable to threats arising from weaknesses in neighboring systems.

An unconventional type of threat, known as the “nearest neighbor attack,” underscores this danger,  according to Group-IB’s CEO Dmitry Volkov.

In a recent case reported by Volexity , a Russian APT group successfully breached a target organization despite being geographically distant. The attackers first infiltrated a nearby organization within the Wi-Fi range of the target.

From there, they later moved through the compromised network, identifying devices connected to wired and wireless networks. Leveraging vulnerabilities in interconnected systems, they ultimately gained access to the organization’s network.

This unconventional attack method poses a critical challenge, requiring organizations to find ways to protect themselves against lateral threats from external devices they neither control nor manage.

Autonomous System Hacks

Autonomous, self-learning systems that address complex challenges without human intervention have become another groundbreaking reality.

As the world increasingly integrates autonomous technologies—ranging from chatbots and auto-update tools to self-operating systems—security against cyber threats is paramount.

These AI-driven systems adapt and make decisions in real time, but this adaptability also creates vulnerabilities.

Cybercriminals can exploit AI’s decision-making processes through advanced tactics, such as manipulating training data, exploiting system flaws, launching network-based attacks, unauthorized takeovers, backdoor access and data breaches.

Such threats pose significant risks, particularly to critical infrastructure and IT/OT environments where large-scale autonomous systems manage essential operations, like semi-intelligent machines overseeing mechanical processes.

Hyper-scaling Fraud

Advanced scams now use deepfakes, social engineering, automated chats, emails and calls to create convincing fraud platforms, affiliate programs and fabricated identities.

Once confined to regions with weaker enforcement, scam call centers have evolved into a global illegal economy. Criminal networks involve individuals directly through trafficking or indirectly via fake job postings and schemes like pig butchering.

According to Visual Capitalist , scams have caused billions in losses, and operations have expanded to regions like the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the U.S. They’re poised to grow further in mature economies.

Other Challenges

Geopolitical tensions increasingly drive cyber threats, with politically motivated attacks like hacktivism, spyware and critical infrastructure disruptions becoming common.

For instance, in June 2024, Indonesia faced major government service disruptions due to a ransomware attack by the LockBit group on its National Data Center .

Similarly, India experienced a malware attack  that affected 186 State Department websites. Global incidents, such as attacks on undersea cables and satellite systems, further underscore the escalating threat.

Another issue is deepfake. Recently, deepfake technology has evolved into a tool for misinformation, fraud and privacy violations. Fraudsters exploit synthetic media to bypass biometric security systems, as seen in Indonesia, where $138.5 million was lost due to fake loan approvals.

High-profile figures like WPP’s CEO have also been impersonated , highlighting the need for robust deepfake detection strategies.

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Giuseppe Ciccomascolo

Giuseppe Ciccomascolo began his career as an investigative journalist in Italy, where he contributed to both local and national newspapers, focusing on various financial sectors. Upon relocating to London, he worked as an analyst for Fitch's CapitalStructure and later as a Senior Reporter for Alliance News. In 2017, Giuseppe transitioned to covering cryptocurrency-related news, producing documentaries and articles on Bitcoin and other emerging digital currencies. He also played a pivotal role in establishing the academy for a cryptocurrency exchange website. Crypto remained his primary area of interest throughout his tenure as a writer for ThirdFloor.
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