Attackers hit vulnerabilities hard last year, making exploits the top entry point for breaches

Attackers hit vulnerabilities hard last year, making exploits the top entry point for breaches

https://cyberscoop.com/verizon-data-breach-investigations-report-2026/

Publish Date: 2026-05-19 17:19:24

Source Domain: cyberscoop.com

Verizon’s latest Data Breach Investigations Report highlights that exploited vulnerabilities topped the list as the primary initial access vector, responsible for 31% of all breaches examined over a year ending in October 2025, up from 20% the previous year. This surge reflects organizations’ difficulty in managing an overwhelming number of vulnerabilities, leading to slower remediation rates. Only 26% of critical vulnerabilities in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s catalog were fully remediated by organizations, down from 38% the year before. Ransomware remains prevalent, accounting for 48% of all breaches despite ransom payments declining as fewer victims pay the ransom. Researchers note a concerning trend of unverified ransomware reporting due to cybercriminals’ practices of reusing or faking incidents.

Key Points:
– Exploited vulnerabilities accounted for 31% of initial access vectors in breaches.
– The decline in remediation rates signals inadequate vulnerability management.
– Ransom payment declines, but ransomware remains prevalent and is often difficult to track.
– The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s catalog has seen a median elapsed time of 43 days for patching.
– Financially-motivated cybercriminals led breaches, with no major shift in attacker motivations.