In a virtual media briefing last March 11, identity and security solutions provider HID revealed the findings from their 2025 State of Security and Identity report that surveyed over 1800 security leaders and system integrators worldwide.
With a special focus on the Asia Pacific region, the briefing tackled the challenges and trends that are reshaping business’s security strategies in 2025.
The report identified three main concerns in Asia Pacific. These concerns were: evolving cybersecurity threats, integrating legacy systems with modern technologies, and lastly, balancing security with user convenience.
In response to these challenges — especially escalating cyber threats — HID discovered that organizations worldwide are prioritizing streamlining cybersecurity management across their IT and security teams and adopting innovative solutions to improve security operations.
Of the seven trends that reflect these priorities across all regions, three stood out: the move towards unified security management, the push towards AI adoption, and the increasing demand for mobile credentials.
- Simplifying through unified, software-centric security management
One of the top trends HID identified was the push towards a consolidation of data, tools, and applications into a unified software platform to simplify security management. This trend helps counter evolving cyber threats as a unified interface boosts visibility into a technology stack, improves threat detection and response, as well as increases operational efficiency.
In Asia Pacific, 55% of respondents believed unified platforms would be a major trend over the next three years. Notably, this trend strongly presented in the Philippines, with Filipino respondents citing it as the number one trend for the next few years.
Relatedly, the report found that organizations shift towards unified platforms means they are moving away from standalone solutions. Standalone solutions tend to be siloed and difficult to integrate into a comprehensive security strategy. Unified software-based platforms on the other hand, help security teams consolidate and organize data to derive real-time, relevant insights.
2. AI for security
To combat emerging AI-facilitated cyberattacks, companies are also fortifying themselves with the same technology. In Asia Pacific alone, 75% of respondents noted that they are already using or plan to implement AI-powered solutions for security purposes.
In fact, one recent, AI advancement being leveraged in security as early as now are AI agents. HID reported use cases ranging from access control and identity management to video and security management platforms.
Globally, the report detailed that five percent of security leaders are already extensively using AI agents, twenty six percent are using them in limited areas, and thirty three percent are planning to implement them.
3. Mobile Identity Proliferation
The third trend HID spotlighted is the move to adopt mobile access credentials like mobile wallets or apps, instead of or to support traditional, physical credentials such as cards or fobs.
This trend is driven by convenience, but it is not the only factor. HID assured that smartphones offer robust protection through their built-in safeguards such as biometric authentication and encrypted communication. Mobile credentials also enable added security through remote management, allowing security teams to implement quick updates or credential revocation.
Sixty four percent of Asia Pacific respondents stated that mobile identity proliferation would be one of the top trends over the next three years, which is slightly higher than the global average of sixty one percent.
A broader perspective on the security industry
Besides the three main trends, there were others uncovered in the report touching on biometric technology, the evolving demands for software solutions, and sustainability consciousness.
4. Reinforcing MFA with Biometrics
As multi-factor authentication (MFA) becomes a standard security practice, HID recorded that biometric technologies or technologies that authenticate fingerprints, faces, or retinas are becoming an accepted option for MFA.
Around 35% of those surveyed worldwide currently use biometric technologies. In Asia Pacific, this number is higher with forty two percent of respondents already using biometrics.
5. Demand for Open Platforms Grows
HID also found that organizations are starting to avoid vendor lock-in and are tending towards more flexible, open software solutions that promise interoperability between security tools.
More than half of security professionals globally indicated that open solutions are “extremely” or “very” important to their organizations. Notably, this number was lower in Asia Pacific, with only thirty six percent of respondents predicting it would be a significant in the coming years.
6. Keeping up with industry shifts
Another trend HID brought to light dealt with disruption. As digital transformation impacts the security industry, HID discovered that security providers need to adapt to digital threats and customer’s changing needs to stay competitive.
Thirty two percent of Asia Pacific respondents marked this trend as a top trend in the next three years, the highest number compared to their regional peers.
7. Sustainability is gaining ground
Lastly, HID learned that security leaders are conscious of sustainability. While they are unwilling to compromise solution effectiveness, reliability, and cost to meet sustainability goals, seventy five percent of security leaders globally consider sustainability when evaluating solutions.
Ramesh Songukrishnasamy, HID senior vice president and chief technology officer, wrapped up the briefing by stating: “By prioritizing flexibility, interoperability, and innovation, security and IT teams can navigate our identified trends to build more resilient and future-ready systems.”
