IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index reports a significant increase in AI-driven cyberattacks targeting basic security vulnerabilities.
The Asia-Pacific region ranks as the second most-attacked area. This region accounts for 27% of cases observed by IBM X-Force.
Vulnerability exploitation became the primary cause of attacks in 2025. This method accounts for 40% of all incidents.
Exploitation of public-facing applications increased 44% globally. IBM attributes this trend to missing authentication controls and AI-assisted discovery of weaknesses.
Active ransomware and extortion groups increased 49% year-over-year.
The ransomware landscape is increasingly fragmented. Smaller, transient operators conduct lower-volume campaigns to complicate attribution.