Vulnerability Exploitation Overtakes Stolen Credentials in AI-Driven Cyberattacks

The Verizon DBIR finds that vulnerability exploitation has overtaken stolen credentials as the leading cause of breaches (31%), driven by AI-enabled automation that shortens the window between disclosure and active exploitation to hours; the report also highlights rising mobile social-engineering success, accelerating shadow-AI data leakage, and a 60% increase in third-party/supply-chain compromises, urging stronger patching, reduced attack surface, and improved governance.