Comcast Business Threat Report: Vast Majority of Attacks Start with Phishing

A new Comcast Business cybersecurity threat report shows the majority of breaches now start with someone clicking on a seemingly safe link.

The inaugural threat report leverages data from 23.5 billion cybersecurity attacks that Comcast Business helped customers navigate in 2022. The attacks span 500 threat types, and 900 distinct infrastructure and software vulnerabilities.

Shena Seneca Tharnish, vice president of secure networking and cybersecurity solutions at Comcast Business, said this report proved that social engineering is still a leading tactic for cybercriminals.

“Preying on emotion and human vulnerability through manipulation or deceit is one of the simplest ways for hackers to gain access to corporate networks and data,” she said. “Whether this is through baiting or phishing, cybercriminals are still relying on human error in order to perform their attacks. Cybercriminals also now have much more access to these nefarious tools, as pre-packaged exploit kits are now just a few clicks away on the dark web, enabling the most unskilled of adversaries to exploit targeted software vulnerabilities.”

Threat Report Key Findings

Key themes from this threat report include:

Surprising Threat Report Findings

“Adversaries spend more time on reconnaissance than organizations may realize,” Seneca Tharnish said. “Attacks are not typically unplanned – cybercriminals are frequently testing your networks, systems and users for vulnerabilities. The report found at least 242 million occasions of active and continuous malicious scanning of customers’ networks and assets. While reconnaissance isn’t always dangerous, it does show interest in a potential victim. In order to prevent attacks, businesses must consider reconnaissance in their cybersecurity strategies.”

One of the most common mistakes organizations are making is taking shortcuts in securing networks, she said.

“This includes failure to patch vulnerable systems, even though 85% of all vulnerability exploits involve unpatched software,” Seneca Tharnish said. “It’s not uncommon for large enterprises to have over 100,000 unpatched systems at any point in time, and small businesses are often worse. Although patch management can be challenging, making sure a network is thoroughly secured is one of the best ways organizations can protect themselves.”

Although all cyber threats require different tools and tactics, there are several considerations customers must factor when selecting a cybersecurity provider, she said.

“Cybersecurity providers must offer a comprehensive suite of powerful security solutions orchestrated to provide multiple layers of security, ensuring that all of these pieces can work in harmony,” Seneca Tharnish said. “Providing a defense-in-depth approach allows organizations to close the gaps in their current cybersecurity plans.”