The Future of Digital Risk: DRM Monthly Webinar, August 2025

Regulatory Shifts: Clarity or Complexity?

The UK’s Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 marks a significant departure from EU GDPR roots. While many changes appear superficial, they carry weight, especially around subject access requests and legitimate interest processing. As Stewart Duffy noted, the real risk lies in the UK's potential loss of EU adequacy status, which could disrupt cross-border data flows.

Equally notable was the UK Government’s policy signal to ban ransomware payments by public sector bodies. Though not yet law, this move could reshape incident response protocols, with private entities expected to report ransom intentions to authorities, a step toward centralised intelligence and deterrence.

Cyber Threats: Sophistication on the Rise

August saw a surge in AI-enhanced cyberattacks, with threat actors like Shiny Hunters exploiting CRM platforms and bypassing multi-factor authentication. Steve Sandford highlighted the growing use of deepfakes and voice phishing, urging businesses to rethink verification protocols and elevate threat hunting capabilities 

The message was clear: attackers are innovating faster than businesses can defend against. From zero-day exploits to clickjacking in password managers, the perimeter is shifting, and so must our defenses.

Geopolitics: Trade, Tariffs and Tech

The transatlantic relationship is under strain. Samuel Kudlac outlined escalating tensions between the US and EU, driven by digital services taxes and retaliatory tariffs. The closure of the US de minimis exemption and threats of visa restrictions on EU officials signal a new phase of diplomatic pressure. Meanwhile, diverging approaches to AI regulation, with the EU enforcing strict compliance and the US deregulating, are reshaping operational risk profiles. ESG frameworks are also being reframed in the US, shifting from sustainability to competitiveness narratives.

What Does this Mean for Business Leaders?

Digital risk now spans legal, technical, geopolitical and cultural domains, demanding a holistic response. Businesses must adopt integrated, agile risk management frameworks that reflect the complexity of today’s operating environment.

Whether it’s preparing for AI-enabled threats, navigating regulatory reform, or responding to geopolitical shocks, the imperative is clear: stay ahead, stay adaptive and stay informed.

We Can Help: With DRM, the Picture Gets Clearer

The clearer your view of digital risks, the more able you are to defend against them. At a time when cyber threats are slipping through the cracks in supply chains and where industries are more connected than ever, the stakes are simply too high to leave to chance. The DRM is designed to expose these warning signs before they become front-page news.

Our DRM service offers:
•    A comprehensive risk discovery phase
•    Visual heatmaps and actionable dashboards
•    Insights aligned to AI governance, corporate responsibility, cyber, geopolitics, regulation, supply chain and technology
•    Expert support from procurement, cyber, technical, geopolitical and legal professionals

Photo by Lumi W on Unsplash.