Verizon's latest data breach report reveals hackers increasingly turning to AI

The latest Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon reveals that hackers are increasingly deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to identify software vulnerabilities, significantly reducing the timeframe targets have to counter threats. The report found that 31% of data breaches now originate from software vulnerabilities, surpassing stolen credentials as the primary vector for attackers, who are shifting their focus from human to system exploitation.

The report identified that 48% of all breaches now involve ransomware, although financial payouts are declining as businesses increasingly refuse to pay. Generative AI now facilitates 15% of attack techniques, enabling threat actors to operate more quickly during malware development and in detecting security gaps.

The report also highlights mobile devices as a primary target for attackers, with click rates 40% higher than in traditional channels. As users become more adept at detecting email phishing, criminals are pivoting toward mobile threats like fraudulent text messages and scam calls, which individuals are statistically more likely to fall for.

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