Cybersecurity Statistics
Data, Trends & Benchmarks
A curated collection of the most important cybersecurity statistics from leading research organizations. Use these data points to inform security decisions, justify budgets, and communicate risk to leadership.
Ransomware Attack Statistics
Ransomware remains the most financially devastating cyber threat facing organizations of all sizes.
Phishing Attack Statistics
Phishing remains the primary initial access vector for most cyberattacks, exploiting human behavior rather than technical vulnerabilities.
Data Breach Statistics
Data breaches continue to grow in frequency and impact, with stolen credentials and cloud misconfigurations among the top attack vectors.
Compliance Statistics
Regulatory compliance is no longer optional. Organizations that fail to meet compliance requirements face steep fines and increased breach costs.
Small Business Cybersecurity Statistics
Small businesses are disproportionately targeted by cybercriminals because they often lack the security resources of larger enterprises.
Healthcare Cybersecurity Statistics
Healthcare is the most targeted and most expensive industry for data breaches, with patient data fetching premium prices on the dark web.
Cybersecurity Cost & Investment Statistics
The economics of cybersecurity continue to evolve, with investment in prevention proving far more cost-effective than incident response after the fact.
About These Statistics
Statistics on this page are compiled from industry-leading research organizations including IBM Security, Ponemon Institute, Verizon, Sophos, FBI IC3, HHS OCR, Gartner, ISC2, and others. Where reports reference multiple years, we cite the most recent available data. All statistics are cited with their original source. This page is updated regularly as new research becomes available. For the most current data specific to your industry and organization size, contact PTG for a personalized risk assessment.
Cybersecurity Statistics FAQ
What is the most common type of cyber attack?
Phishing remains the most prevalent attack vector, with 91% of all cyberattacks beginning with a phishing email according to Deloitte research. Approximately 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent worldwide every day. The second most common vector is stolen or compromised credentials, which account for 16% of all data breaches per the IBM/Ponemon 2024 report. Ransomware, while less frequent in volume, is the most financially devastating attack type, with 59% of organizations hit in 2024. A layered cybersecurity strategy is essential for defending against all of these threat vectors.
How often do small businesses experience cyber attacks?
Small businesses are disproportionately targeted by cybercriminals. According to Accenture and the Verizon DBIR 2024, 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses, yet only 14% of SMBs rate their cyber risk mitigation capabilities as highly effective. Even more alarming, 51% of small businesses have no cybersecurity measures in place at all. The consequences are severe — 60% of small businesses that suffer a cyberattack go out of business within six months. A professional risk assessment is the critical first step in protecting your business.
What is the average ransomware payment?
The average ransomware payment surged to $2.73 million in 2024, a 77% increase from $1.54 million in 2023, according to Sophos. For small businesses, the median demand is $108,000 per Coveware data. However, paying the ransom is rarely advisable — 80% of organizations that paid were targeted again, and only 8% successfully recovered all of their data. The total cost of a ransomware breach, including downtime, recovery, legal fees, and reputational damage, averages $5.13 million. Petronella’s ransomware recovery services help organizations respond effectively and minimize losses.
How quickly do attackers typically gain access after a breach?
Modern attackers can move extremely fast once they gain initial access. According to CrowdStrike, the average breakout time — the time it takes an attacker to move laterally from the initial compromised system to other systems in the network — is just 62 minutes. However, the bigger challenge is detection: the average time to identify and contain a data breach is 277 days per IBM/Ponemon research. When stolen credentials are the initial vector, the lifecycle stretches to 292 days. Organizations that contain breaches in under 200 days save $1.02 million on average, underscoring the value of 24/7 security monitoring.
What percentage of data breaches involve human error?
Human error is a contributing factor in approximately 68% of all data breaches, according to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2024. This includes clicking phishing links, misconfiguring cloud storage, using weak passwords, falling for social engineering attacks, and accidentally exposing sensitive data. Security awareness training programs can reduce phishing click rates by up to 60% according to KnowBe4. Organizations with regular employee training save an average of $1.49 million per breach. Contact Petronella to implement an effective training program for your team.
Where can I find reliable cybersecurity statistics?
The most widely cited and methodologically rigorous sources for cybersecurity statistics include the IBM/Ponemon Institute Cost of a Data Breach Report (published annually, surveying 600+ organizations), the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (analyzing 30,000+ incidents), Sophos State of Ransomware Report, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Annual Report, and the ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. For healthcare-specific data, the HHS Office for Civil Rights breach portal is authoritative. We compile and verify statistics from these sources on this page and update it regularly. For data specific to your industry and organization size, schedule a consultation with Petronella.
Do Not Become a Statistic
Petronella Technology Group helps businesses protect themselves against the threats behind these statistics. With 23+ years of experience and 2,500+ businesses served, we know how to reduce your risk.
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