Crowdstrike’s Global Threat report 2025

Our technology partner Crowdstrike annually publishes the Global Threat Report, which provides insight into key cybersecurity trends and developments. The 2025 report also provides essential insights and clear recommendations for an effective cybersecurity strategy.

This year, some notable trends have been identified:

Breakout time at historic low: The average time it takes attackers to move laterally within a network has decreased to a mere 48 minutes. In fact, the fastest breakout recorded was just 51 seconds.

Voice phishing is skyrocketing: Cybercriminals are increasingly using telephone contact to trick victims with convincing social engineering techniques. Between the first and second half of 2024, this form of cybercrime grew by a whopping 442%.

Growth of initial access as a service: Attacks aimed at gaining initial access have increased significantly. This now accounts for 52% of the vulnerabilities Crowdstrike observed last year. Cybercriminals are increasingly offering initial access ‘as a service’, with an annual increase in ads of around 50%.

Increase in China-nexus cyber activity: Cyber attacks from China-related threat actors increased by 150% on average. Specific industries faced 200% to 300% more attacks.

Deployment of generative AI in cyber attacks: Generative AI technologies were actively deployed for advanced attacks and disinformation campaigns by China-, Russia- and Iran-linked threat actors, among others. For example, highly convincing fake job applicants were created to penetrate organizations.