Report: IT Professionals Brace for More AI-Enhanced Cyberattacks

U.S. businesses are preparing for continued AI-enhanced cyberattacks, which are now ranked as the top threat by IT professionals for the year ahead according to GetApp, a Stamford, Connecticut-based cybersecurity company.

The company’s 6th Annual Data Security Report reveals that 37% of U.S. IT professionals view AI-enhanced attacks as their primary concern for 2025, with AI-enhanced malware cited as the top AI-generated threat by 60% of global IT professionals. While phishing and ransomware attacks remain prevalent and pervasive, the increasing sophistication of AI-augmented threats signals the need for businesses to prioritize new defensive strategies.

Ransomware remains a significant challenge, but recovery rates are improving, according to the report. In 2024, ransomware attacks affected 44% of U.S. companies, with 43% of those paying a ransom. However, 36% of businesses were able to recover their data without payment, indicating improvements in incident response and decryption capabilities.

Phishing continues to plague businesses with 87% of U.S. organizations reporting phishing attempts in the past 12 months. The report says that 74% of employees who received a phishing email clicked on malicious links, highlighting the ongoing need for security awareness training.

As more businesses adopt cloud solutions, 56% of data breaches in the U.S. were attributed to software vulnerabilities, emphasizing the importance of securing cloud-based infrastructure.

The U.S. fared better than its global counterparts in terms of data breaches, with 54% of businesses reporting them in 2024 compared to the global average of 62%. Despite this, over half of U.S. organizations still experienced a breach, underscoring the need for continued vigilance.

Over half (51%) of U.S. companies have implemented MFA for all applications, higher than the global average of 44%. This increased use of MFA is helping businesses fend off some of the most damaging cyberattacks.

The report is based on a survey of 4,000 cybersecurity and IT professionals from 11 countries, including 500 U.S. IT professionals, uncovers five additional key trends and how to address them.

Channel Impact^®
While efforts to mitigate risks like ransomware and phishing are improving, AI-driven threats require a faster, more adaptive approach, leading to opportunities for the channel.