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Cyberthreat News

A cybersecurity attack happens when threat actors gain unauthorized access to IT systems. The attacks can be criminal, such as those that involve stolen credentials for ransomware or to disrupt operations (denial of service attacks) or merely hacktivist.

The most common cyberattacks are phishing, social engineering, and malware. The criminals behind these threats are seeking to steal login information for unauthorized access or to profit from the attack. They also seek to infiltrate the organization with a malicious payload, or weaponized code, that can lead to further attacks and cause damage and disruptions.

Many attacks are motivated by financial gains, but they can also be launched for political reasons. Nation-states are increasingly conducting cyberattacks for political gain or to impact the operations of companies operating on foreign soil. Hacktivism is another motive, where attackers aim to raise awareness of a particular issue, such as censorship or government control of the internet.

The major cyberattacks in 2025 include ransomware, vulnerabilities, defense evasion, phishing, and business email compromise (BEC). Unpatched systems are common entry points for hackers, but layered defenses can prevent attacks by including strong security information and event management tools, regular updates of endpoint protection software, and educating employees on how to identify a phishing email or other types of illegitimate communication. A cybersecurity attack can have devastating consequences for a company, from financial losses and operational interruptions to lost customer trust and reputational damage. In fact, Cybersecurity Ventures reports that ransomware attacks hit a business every 2 seconds, resulting in $4 billion in losses per year.