The Human Factor: Empowering Your Employees as Your First Line of Defence.

11 September 2025

Cybersecurity Trends to Watch in 2025 and Beyond

Some 30 executives and professionals attended the recent SIM Learning Series, which opened with remarks by Ho Seong Kim, CEO of SIM Academy. 

This session featured an insightful presentation by JJ Sor, Director at Stone Cybersecurity, followed by a lively panel discussion on “The Human Factor: Empowering Your Employees as Your First Line of Defence.”

JJ’s keynote, “Cybersecurity Trends to Watch in 2025 and Beyond,” explored how AI-driven threats, ransomware-as-a-service, and identity-based attacks are reshaping the global and regional cyber landscape. He also highlighted the rise of scams in Singapore, ranging from phishing and investment scams to “quishing” and underscored the urgent need for organisations to adapt.

Beyond technology, JJ emphasised why humans matter in cybersecurity: 68% of breaches involve a human element. Employees can either be the weakest link or the strongest defence, and cybersecurity must be treated as both a business and operational risk. His call to action: “Don’t wait for a real crisis to learn. Test, train, prepare.”

The panel discussion deepened the conversation, addressing pressing issues such as balancing cyber risk with business innovation, the growing role of AI in both attacks and defence, and the importance of building board-level understanding of cyber risk. Panellists shared perspectives on combating alert fatigue, preparing for state-sponsored threats, and the need to cultivate a culture of shared responsibility across the workforce.

Participants walked away with practical takeaways which included adopting simple, consistent cyber habits, investing in preparedness and ensuring cybersecurity is a true team sport.