With Black Hat 2025 now in the books, we can rewind the week and see what captured the spotlight at the industry’s legendary “hacker day camp.”
Rather than chasing hype, conversations among attendees and media onsite were grounded in operational realities. This included how AI is actually being deployed, which adversaries are shaping the global threat landscape, and what it all means for defenders navigating an increasingly complex cyber battlefield.
And while it felt like “agentic AI” was the only phrase anyone uttered all week, it wasn’t the sole headline-stealer. Other pressing storylines were just as loud for attendees and reporters, including the following:
Geopolitics dominated the headlines. DPRK cyber campaigns resurfaced as a conversation driver, alongside growing unease about China’s cyber ambitions. These state-sponsored threats aren’t abstract anymore, they’re top-of-mind for defenders and reporters alike, driving urgent conversations about how nations weaponize code — and how AI might tilt that balance, of course. Legal and policy debates around AI’s role in cyberwarfare added another layer of complexity that media unpacked as part of briefings onsite.
Federal withdrawal was impossible to ignore as the week kicked off. The Pentagon’s exit from the Aspen Security Forum signaled a cooling of the government’s public cybersecurity presence, raising questions about future cooperation between public and private sectors. For journalists, this shift meant less access to official insights and more reliance on independent research and threat intelligence.
Speaking of intelligence, compelling and new threat intel stood as a critical factor in landing and driving media discussions at the event. Vendors who were able to speak to (and publish findings on) emerging risks detailing the growing cat-and-mouse game unfolding across global cyber fronts were standouts when it came to sessions, activations, and media coverage. This research driven focus reflects the media’s hunger for actionable insights over broad trends, with reporters eager to spotlight the evolving tactics of adversaries and the tech that counters them.
Although media coverage shifted away from executive interviews amid newsroom cuts, the key takeaways from Black Hat remained clear and relevant to today’s current cyber market. The event provided a look at an industry wrestling with the real impact of AI, the looming shadow of nation-state threats, and the changing rules of cyber engagement. In 2025, cybersecurity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a battleground.
For companies building PR programs, this means focusing on technical insights and timely threat intelligence rather than executive soundbites. Delivering authentic, expert-driven stories aligned with today’s cyber challenges is essential for engaging with a more selective media landscape.
Interested in learning more about #HWCyberSquad and other insights gleaned on the Black Hat show floor this year? Let’s chat!