Cybercrime is occurring at an alarming rate. In the past year alone, the exploitation of system vulnerabilities was a major contributing factor to the 180% rise in ransomware attacks, according to Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report.1 In addition, business email compromise (BEC) has led to losses in the billions, per the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Compliant Center’s (IC3) Internet Crime Report 2024.2 To protect your organization, businesses must understand how attackers operate, identify points of vulnerabilities, and proactively implement strong defense strategies. This article summarizes key insights on common attack tactics, the hacker’s mindset, and effective ways to help improve your security posture.
What Are Some Common Cyberattack Tactics?
Cybercriminals rely on a mix of sophisticated technology and manipulation techniques. Using phishing tactics, attackers impersonate executives or trusted vendors to authorize fraudulent wire transfers, often leading to millions in losses from a single incident. Social engineering, where hackers exploit human trust to gain access to sensitive information, is frequently an underlying factor. This can happen through seemingly innocent interactions on professional forums or social media, where an employee might unknowingly reveal company details to a malicious actor in disguise. A newer, more concerning tactic is the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered deepfakes. Alarmingly, criminals can now clone voices and even create fake video participants for meetings, making fraudulent requests appear legitimate.
Finally, ransomware remains a particularly damaging attack for small and large organizations alike, capable of locking organizations out of their data and demanding payment for its release. Insider threats, including situations where sensitive information such as passwords for high-value transactions are improperly documented and accessible, highlight the ongoing risk posed by employees who may inadvertently or deliberately expose critical systems.
How Does a Hacker Exploit Cyber Vulnerabilities?
Attackers don’t always need to break down the door—they look for one that’s already unlocked, and often, the human element is the weakest link in any security system. Employees who click on malicious links, download unvetted applications, or bypass security procedures out of a sense of urgency create openings for breaches. Hackers exploit this by crafting convincing phishing emails or pop-up ads that prompt an urgent response.
From a technical standpoint, attackers thrive on procrastination and misconfiguration. Unpatched systems, such as devices still running on end-of-life operating systems like Windows 10, are prime targets. As these systems no longer receive security updates, they are exposed to known vulnerabilities that criminals can easily exploit. Similarly, cloud misconfigurations and third-party vulnerabilities are common entry points, allowing attackers to execute code remotely without any user interaction.
Furthermore, the rapid adoption of new technologies—such as AI-powered tools and mobile apps—also introduces fresh attack surfaces.
What Are Some Proactive Strategies for a Strong Cyber Defense?
Building a resilient cybersecurity culture requires a multilayered approach based on anticipation, detection, and response. The foundation of a strong defense is employee training. Regular, ongoing awareness education can help employees recognize phishing attempts, social engineering tactics, and other threats. On the technical side, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the most effective measures to prevent unauthorized access, as it adds a critical layer of security that can stop a scam even if an employee’s credentials are compromised. Furthermore, organizations must have a tested incident response plan. This plan should outline clear steps for containing a threat, engaging legal counsel to protect communications under privilege, and communicating carefully to avoid legal pitfalls. Regularly testing backups to help ensure they can be restored is just as important as creating them.
How Forvis Mazars Can Help
With an understanding of common cybercrime tactics and vulnerabilities, and a well-trained workforce with robust technical controls and a prepared response strategy, you can significantly mitigate risk and help protect your organization from a costly disaster. To watch webinar archives from our 2025 Cybersecurity Virtual Symposium, click here. To stay ahead of evolving cyberthreats and learn more about proactive defense strategies, reach out to a professional at Forvis Mazars.