Identity is the New Perimeter: CybeReady’s Analysis of IBM’s X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index

The New Dawn Returns – Horizon Shifts in Cyberattack Trends

Following our in-depth analysis of IBM’s 2025 Threat Intelligence Index, CybeReady’s research team has identified a significant “Back to the Future” moment in cyberattack trends that validates our longstanding approach to cyber readiness training.

Our examination reveals a clear return to older but increasingly dominant attack patterns: specifically, the growing preference for legitimate user credentials over technical exploits. This shift confirms what we’ve been telling our clients for years – awareness training won’t stop an attack. Readiness will.

Stolen Credentials > Technical Exploits: The Data Speaks

CybeReady’s analysis of the IBM report confirms that valid credentials were used in 30% of all intrusions, matching exploitation of public-facing applications as the top initial access vector. In our work with organizations worldwide, we’ve observed this same pattern – attackers have shifted decisively toward using stolen credentials over purely technical exploits.

According to our research, this trend reflects a growing challenge for adversaries: overcoming improved organizational defenses. To support this shift, attackers are:

1. Deploying specialized tools like infostealers to extract credentials (up 84% in phishing emails)
2. Fueling a black market of credentials-as-assets (up 12% on dark web markets)
3. Expanding lateral movement using compromised internal accounts

As our training specialists have documented, these credential-based attacks bypass traditional security infrastructure entirely, making employee readiness your most critical defense.

End Users in the Crosshairs: Building Instinctive Defense

While traditional phishing remains one of the top three infiltration methods, our analysis shows its success rate is declining compared to the use of stolen credentials and session hijacking. This evolution perfectly aligns with CybeReady’s core philosophy: employees need more than awareness – they need instinct.

As we’ve discovered through our continuous training approach, employees must evolve from simply spotting fake emails to understanding that they are a primary attack vector through their identity and access behaviors. Our automated platform addresses this by:

• Delivering bite-sized, personalized training scenarios that build instinctive responses
• Adapting automatically to emerging threat patterns without manual intervention
• Providing immediate feedback when mistakes occur to cement learning

From Malicious Files to Malicious Links: Training Must Evolve

One of the most significant findings from our analysis of the IBM report is the dramatic shift from weaponized file attachments to malicious URLs. We’ve documented this same pattern across our client base, noting:

• 70% decrease in malicious ZIP attachments

• 45% decrease in malicious RAR attachments

• Significant rise in PDF documents containing obfuscated links

This evolution stems from two factors our security researchers have identified:

1. Better file-scanning technologies have made malicious attachments easier to detect
2. The increased use of embedded links (in PDFs or QR codes) evades traditional email security

At CybeReady, we’ve already incorporated these exact attack vectors into our phishing simulations because we understand that real behavior change requires exposure to current, real-world attack methods.

Automated Training: The Only Solution for Rapidly Evolving Threats

The IBM data reinforces CybeReady’s fundamental approach: cyber threats don’t wait for your training day or awareness month campaign. Our research shows that traditional, manual security awareness programs simply cannot keep pace with the rapidly evolving tactics documented in the report.

This is precisely why we’ve developed the only fully automated cyber readiness platform that:

• Makes thousands of micro-decisions per second based on real-time data
• Delivers the right training to the right person at exactly the right time
• Adapts content automatically based on emerging threats and employee behavior
• Runs entirely on autopilot, eliminating the need for manual training management

As our data demonstrates, this automated approach delivers measurable results, with clients reporting up to 83% reduction in click rates and sustained behavior change across all employee groups.

Industry-Specific Readiness: Tailored Defense for High-Risk Sectors

Our analysis of the IBM report identified these high-risk industries:

• Manufacturing (26%) – Leading for the fourth consecutive year
• Finance and Insurance (23%)
• Professional Services (18%)
• Energy (10%)
• Transportation (7%)

The impact of credential-based attacks varied by sector, with manufacturing experiencing the highest rates of extortion (29%) and data theft (24%). Through our work with clients in these industries, we’ve developed industry-specific training approaches that address the unique threats each sector faces.

With localized content in 42 languages delivered automatically, CybeReady ensures that employees in these high-risk sectors receive training relevant to their specific threat landscape, without requiring any additional effort from security teams.

Cloud-Hosted Phishing: A Challenge Only Readiness Can Address

Our investigation into the IBM data revealed another alarming trend: the dramatic increase in phishing campaigns hosted on legitimate cloud services. This presents a unique challenge that traditional awareness programs struggle to address, as organizations cannot simply block trusted cloud providers.

CybeReady’s approach to this emerging threat includes:

• Real-world simulations of cloud-hosted phishing attempts
• Training that focuses on URL inspection skills rather than just domain reputation
• Building the instinct to verify links before clicking, regardless of their apparent source

As our client data shows, this readiness-based approach significantly outperforms traditional awareness training in reducing successful phishing attacks from cloud-hosted sources.

The Takeaway is Clear: Identity is the New Perimeter

Our comprehensive analysis of the IBM X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index confirms what CybeReady has built its entire platform around: in today’s threat landscape, identity has become the new security perimeter, and employees need more than awareness – they need readiness.

The choice for security leaders is clear:

• Continue with traditional awareness programs that check compliance boxes but fail to build a real defense

OR

• Implement CybeReady’s automated readiness platform that transforms employees from vulnerabilities into your strongest security asset

5 Reasons Organizations Trust CybeReady for True Cyber Readiness

Based on our analysis of the IBM data and our extensive experience, here’s why leading organizations choose CybeReady:

1. Measurable Risk Reduction: Documented decrease in successful phishing attacks
2. Engaged Employees: Bite-sized training that builds lasting resilience without disruption
3. Cultural Shift: A company-wide transformation in security behavior
4. Effortless Compliance: AuditReady™ and ReportReady™ capabilities
5. Total Automation: Set it, forget it, stay protected – no manual effort required

Ready When It Counts. Always.

Cyber threats don’t wait for scheduled training, and neither should your defense. CybeReady delivers automated, continuous readiness training that:

• Runs itself with zero manual effort
• Adapts in real-time to emerging threats
• Delivers personalized learning to each employee
• Provides immediate feedback when mistakes occur
• Documents compliance automatically

Our analysis of the IBM report reinforces what we’ve always known: true security comes from readiness, not awareness. Employees don’t just need to know about threats – they need the instinct to respond correctly when facing them in real-world situations.

Want to see how CybeReady can transform your employees from a security vulnerability into your strongest defense? Contact our team to discover our proven methodology for building cyber readiness throughout your organization.