Verizon DBIR Report: Small Businesses Identified as Key Targets in Ransomware Attacks

Verizon Business’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), released on April 24, 2025, paints a stark picture of the cybersecurity landscape, drawing from an analysis of over 22,000 security incidents, including 12,195 confirmed data breaches.

The report identifies credential abuse (22%) and exploitation of vulnerabilities (20%) as the predominant initial attack vectors, with a 34% surge in vulnerability exploitation, particularly through zero-day exploits targeting perimeter devices and VPNs.

This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for organizations to adopt multi-layered defense strategies, including robust password policies, timely patching, and comprehensive employee training, as emphasized by Chris Novak, Vice President of Global Cybersecurity Solutions at Verizon Business.

Ransomware and SMBs Under Siege

A significant finding from the 2025 DBIR is the 37% year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks, now present in 44% of breaches.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) bear the brunt of this menace, with ransomware implicated in ...