LONDON, UK, Feb 21, 2024 IBM today released the 2024 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index highlighting an emerging global crisis as cybercriminals double down on exploiting user identities to compromise enterprises.
According to IBM X-Force, IBM Consulting's security services arm, cybercriminals last year generated more opportunities to log in to corporate networks through valid accounts, instead of hacking into them making this tactic a preferred weapon of choice for threat actors.
The X-Force Threat Intelligence Index is based on insights and observations from monitoring over 150 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries. In addition, data is gathered and analysed from multiple sources within IBM, including IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence, Incident Response, X-Force Red, IBM Managed Security Services, and data provided from Red Hat Insights and Intezer , which contributed to the 2024 report.
An emerging identity crisis
The report data revealed that exploiting valid accounts has become the path of least resistance for cybercriminals, with billions of compromised credentials accessible on the Dark Web.
According to the report, 50% of cyberattacks in the UK involved the exploitation of valid accounts as the initial access vector' and a further 25% of cases involved the exploitation of public-facing applications. Across Europe, X-Force observed a 66% year-on-year rise in attacks caused by the use of valid accounts contributing to Europe's prevalence as the most targeted region of 2023 and the record number of attacks that X-Force has ever reported regionally.
The criminal ecosystem was also quick to adapt to the use of valid accounts by attackers. In 2023, X-Force observed a 266% increase in infostealing malware, which is designed to steal personal and enterprise credentials, personally identifiable information, and banking and crypto wallet information.
This easy entry for attackers is harder to detect, eliciting a costly response from enterprises. According to X-Force, worldwide, major incidents caused by attackers using valid accounts were linked to nearly 200% more complex response measures by security teams than the average incident with defenders needing to distinguish between legitimate and malicious user activity on the network.
In fact, IBM's 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that breaches caused by stolen or compromised credentials required roughly 11 months from detection to recovery the longest response lifecycle among all infection vectors.
Martin Borrett, Technical Director, IBM Security, UK, and Ireland (UKI) commented:
Our findings reveal that identity is increasingly being weaponised against enterprises, exploiting valid accounts and compromising credentials. It also shows us that the biggest security concern for enterprises stems not from novel or cryptic threats, but from well-known and existing ones.
Addressing cybersecurity challenges requires a strategic approach, emphasising the reinforcement of foundational security measures. Streamlining identity management through a unified Identity and Access Management (IAM) provider and strengthening legacy applications with modern security protocols are crucial steps in mitigating risks. Additionally, subjecting your system to rigorous stress tests by skilled offensive security teams proves invaluable in uncovering potential weaknesses. This insight is pivotal for crafting a robust incident response plan that engages all teams, from IT professionals to C-suite executives.
Julian David, CEO of techUK, added:
In an era marked by the growing sophistication of cybercriminals who exploit legitimate accounts to breach business defences, IBM's X-Force Threat Intelligence Index serves as a stark wake-up call.
The report underscores a troubling pattern where half of the cyberattacks in the UK rely on legitimate accounts for initial access, presenting significant challenges to businesses' recovery endeavours. To effectively combat this threat, businesses must adopt a strategic approach, integrating modern security protocols to mitigate risks and strengthen their defences against the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.
Further key UK findings include:
Malware made up 30% of security incidents observed in the UK.
Ransomware (30%) and cryptominers (20%) were the top malware types encountered in the country.
The impact of attacks was evenly distributed with extortion, digital currency mining and data leaks each making up 25% of total impacts in the UK.
This marks a shift from 2022, when half the cases X-Force observed in the UK involved extortion (57%) twice the global average followed by data theft (29%).
The professional, business and consumer services industry was the most targeted sector in the UK, representing 39% of cases.
Energy (30%) and finance & insurance (17%) were the second and third most targeted industries in UK, respectively.
Manufacturing was the most targeted industry in Europe, accounting for 28% of cases.
Europe overall experienced the highest percentage of incidents within the energy sector at 43%, as well as finance and insurance at 37%.
Major takeaways from the global report included:
Attacks on critical infrastructure reveal industry faux pas.
Worldwide, an alarming 69.6% of attacks that X-Force responded to were against critical infrastructure organisations, an alarming finding highlighting that cybercriminals are wagering on these high value targets' need for uptime to advance their objectives.
In 84% of attacks on critical sectors globally, compromise could have been mitigated with patching, multi-factor authentication, or least-privilege principals indicating that what the security industry historically described as basic security may be harder to achieve than portrayed.
Exploiting public-facing appl
Europe Stories
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
17/09/2025
It was the ultimate convergence of pop culture and literary prestige: Last night, Dua Lipa brought her Service95 Book Club podcast to the stage for a special li...
17/09/2025
Transatlantic collaboration combines experience and agility to drive innovation in network design and delivery
Luxembourg, September 16, 2025 - SES, a leading ...
17/09/2025
Wednesday 17 September 2025
UK artists capture icons of stage and screen, inclu...
17/09/2025
For the Moon Safari anniversary tour, AIR opened the doors to their backstage. Just a few hours before the Paris concert, DPA met with two key figures of the te...
17/09/2025
Auditions will be held in Dublin, Cork and Galway
The County Parade returns f...
16/09/2025
Hace una d cada, la m sica latina representaba apenas el 8% de las reproducciones globales en Spotify. Hoy, constituye m s de una cuarta parte (27%) de toda la ...
16/09/2025
A decade ago, Latin music made up just 8% of global Spotify streams. Today, it a...
16/09/2025
Spotify is expanding our video lineup with a new partnership with Zoo 55, part of ITV Studios. For the first time, acclaimed content from ITV Studios is landing...
16/09/2025
Calrec has strengthened its collaboration with audio metering expert RTW by integrating RTW's new TMxCore metering platform across its full range of Argo IP...
16/09/2025
Leading space solutions company will use optical ground stations to deliver faster, more secure data from space
Luxembourg, September 15, 2025 - SES, a leading...
16/09/2025
Comscore Unveils The Scoreboard: An Interactive Destination Surfacing Consumer B...
15/09/2025
Global K-Pop sensation aespa is redefining what it means to be rich with the r...
15/09/2025
Every day, millions of people around the world turn to Spotify to enjoy the audi...
15/09/2025
After months of intensive planning and implementation, Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic...
15/09/2025
Unique sports content orchestration platform builds momentum among SES's cus...
15/09/2025
-- Opens door to growth in renewable energy New Delhi, India - 15th September -- Global business and industry leaders from around the world are joining technol...
13/09/2025
Harmonic's Software-Based XOS Advanced Media Processor Provides Unparalleled Efficiency and Unlocks New Business Models SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 13, 2025 -...
12/09/2025
For fans, we know how important it is to stay plugged into music culture and dis...
12/09/2025
Link ping, Sweden and Shipley, United Kingdom, September 12, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability and analytics for service quality and customer expe...
12/09/2025
Feature-length retrospective from Studio Crook to air in 2026
Sir David Jason returns to the nation's favourite comedy channel, U&GOLD, for Open All Hours:...
12/09/2025
Friday 12 September 2025
The Boomtown Rats, Nyah Grace, Soweto Kinch, Royal Ballet and Madness also announced to perform at the ceremony on Tuesday
Sky today ...
12/09/2025
Wuppertal September 12, 2025
Riedel Unveils Ultra-Light Bolero Mini Wireless Intercom BeltpackAt IBC2025 in Amsterdam, Riedel Communications unveiled Bolero M...
12/09/2025
Wuppertal September 12, 2025
Riedel Communications Acquires hi human interfaceRiedel Communications today announced the acquisition of hi human interface fro...
12/09/2025
CORE+ virtually removes distortion, setting a new standard for church sound and giving worship teams the clarity and confidence they need.
Read the full artic...
12/09/2025
The Late Late Show is back with a bang after the summer break, and Patrick Kielt...
12/09/2025
The World Athletics Championships, Ireland v France in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, the Irish Champions Festival, and two Sports Direct Men...
12/09/2025
The Records Show starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player.
Katie Hanno...
11/09/2025
RADAR, Spotify's program for emerging talent, recently hit a major milestone...
11/09/2025
Link ping, Sweden, September 11, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability & analytics for service quality and customer experience, announced today the la...
11/09/2025
Under the USD 89.6 Million award, SES Space & Defense will provide global commer...
11/09/2025
Leading Balkan DTH provider adds capacity to consolidate its m:Sat TV platform at 23.5 degrees East and serve more customers across the region
Luxembourg, 11 S...
11/09/2025
UKTV's free streaming service U launches on Sky Q
Free streaming service U has launched on Sky Q in the UK, UKTV and Sky confirm today, expanding the footp...
11/09/2025
From the discreet 2061 lavaliers to 4099 and 4011 mics, the setup delivered clean, natural sound in one of the most challenging broadcast environments.
Read th...
11/09/2025
From rugged build quality to natural, detailed sound, the verdict is clear: big performance can come in a very small package.
Read the full review here!...
11/09/2025
Tonight on Prime Time
RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
Tonight RT Prime Time...
11/09/2025
RT Statement: 2026 Eurovision Song Contest
At the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns ...
10/09/2025
Lossless on Spotify Premium is here.
Lossless audio has been one of the most a...
10/09/2025
The Television Will Be Revolutionised Sep 10, 2025
Written by Sunit Kotecha, Director of Delivery and Operations, YouView
2025 marks a century since the f...
10/09/2025
First of Spains F110 frigates get future-ready with Rohde & Schwarz communicatio...
10/09/2025
Harmonic's cOS Platform Supports DOCSIS and Fiber, Enabling Midco to Deliver Reliable Multi-Gigabit Connectivity to Subscribers SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 10,...
10/09/2025
RT brings three days of live radio, live entertainment, live news, live weather, personal appearances, and more
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, The Oliver ...
09/09/2025
Since 2020, Spotify's RADAR program has been a launchpad for emerging talent...
09/09/2025
In 2020, Spotify launched RADAR with a clear mission: to identify, nurture, and ...
09/09/2025
If you're on BookTok, you know the drill. You scroll, you tap, and suddenly your To Be Read list is overflowing with trending must-reads. Not unlike Spoti...
09/09/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
09/09/2025
Harmonic's VOS360 Ad SaaS Enables Personalized Ad Delivery and Seamless Integration with the Ad Tech Ecosystem SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 9, 2025 - Harmonic ...
09/09/2025
St. Luke's Episcopal Church in New Jersey needed audio that truly connects and they found the answer.
Read the full case study here!...
LONDON, UK, Feb 21, 2024 IBM today released the 2024 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index highlighting an emerging global crisis as cybercriminals double down on exploiting user identities to compromise enterprises.
