Publication Date
7-13-2026
Abstract
The accelerating convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, blockchain, and quantum computing has fundamentally transformed the global threat landscape, introducing cybersecurity challenges of unprecedented complexity and scale. This systematic literature review synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed publications, institutional reports, and regulatory documents published primarily between 2020 and 2025 to provide an integrated analysis of contemporary cybersecurity challenges across five key emerging technology domains. The review identifies critical vulnerabilities inherent to each domain, documents the evolution of threat actors and attack methodologies — including AI-powered ransomware, adversarial machine learning, and harvest-now-decrypt-later quantum attacks — and evaluates emerging defensive frameworks and international regulatory responses. Key findings indicate that global cybercrime costs are projected to reach USD 10.5 trillion annually by 2025; ransomware payments reached record highs in 2024 with individual demands exceeding USD 75 million; and the post-quantum cryptography transition mandated by NIST represents an urgent systemic imperative with a 2035 deprecation deadline. The cybersecurity workforce gap — currently estimated at a 12.6% annual growth deficit — compounds these risks, particularly for developing nations and smaller institutions. The review concludes that effective cybersecurity governance in the age of emerging technologies requires multidisciplinary approaches, proactive regulatory frameworks, investment in human capital, and deep public-private collaboration spanning institutional and national boundaries.
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