Verizon 2025 Data Breach Report Reveals Doubling of Third-Party Breaches

Verizon's 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report highlights a dramatic surge in cyberattacks worldwide, with a 34% increase in vulnerability exploitation as an initial access vector, now accounting for 20% of breaches. Ransomware attacks have risen by 37% and are present in 44% of breaches globally, though median ransom payments have declined and more organizations are refusing to pay. Third-party involvement in breaches has doubled to 30%, underscoring rising supply chain and partner ecosystem risks. The report also notes a sharp increase in system intrusion breaches, especially in EMEA and Asia-Pacific, and a concerning rise in breaches originating from within organizations in some regions. Human factors, such as social engineering and credential abuse, remain prevalent, while the growth of edge device and VPN vulnerabilities and the use of non-managed devices add further complexity to the threat landscape. Experts emphasize the urgent need for multi-layered defenses, timely vulnerability patching, and comprehensive security awareness training to mitigate these evolving risks.