Remote Access Abuse: The Leading Cause of Cybersecurity Breaches

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Cyberattack Tactics Shift

A significant shift in cyberattack tactics has been observed, with data-only extortion rising dramatically in 2025, according to a recent report by Arctic Wolf.

Threat Report Findings

The firm’s 2026 Threat Report reveals that ransomware, business compromise, and data incidents accounted for 92% of response engagements, with data-only extortion increasing elevenfold to 22% of cases.

Analysts noted that 65% of non-business email compromise (BEC) breaches began with the abuse of remote access tools, indicating a preference for exploiting existing access rather than attempting to breach systems through other means. This trend is consistent with the notion of “logging in instead of breaking in,” as observed by security experts.

Ransomware and Phishing Attacks

Ransomware remained a prevalent threat, although 77% of impacted organizations refused to pay the ransom demands. In cases where negotiations took place, the average settlement amount was reduced by 67%. Phishing attacks, often amplified by AI-enabled social engineering, drove 85% of BEC incidents.

Vulnerability of Small and Midsize Businesses

The report also highlighted the vulnerability of small and midsize businesses, which represented 71% of victims in Australia. Threat groups such as Qilin and Akira were active in the region, exploiting weaknesses in security controls.

Security executives emphasized the importance of disciplined identity controls, patching, and early detection in reducing the disruption caused by cyberattacks. By implementing these measures, organizations can significantly minimize the impact of breaches and ransomware attacks.

Related News

In related news, a recent report by Dataminr tracked over 5,000 threat actors and logged more than 18,000 ransomware alerts, as well as over 2 million domain impersonation incidents. The report highlights the increasing threat actor activity and the need for organizations to stay vigilant and proactive in their cybersecurity efforts.