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Sophos Reveals Key Findings: 56% of Cyberattacks Exploit Valid Credentials
Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, has released the 2025 Sophos Active Adversary Report, which details attacker behaviour and techniques from over 400 Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Incident Response (IR) cases in 2024.
The report found that the primary way attackers gained initial access to networks (56% of all cases across MDR and IR) was by exploiting external remote services, which includes edge devices such as firewalls and VPNs, by leveraging valid accounts.
The combination of external remote services and valid accounts aligns with the top root causes of attacks. For the second year in row, compromised credentials were the number one root cause of attacks (41% of cases). This was followed by exploited vulnerabilities (21.79%) and brute force attacks (21.07%).
Understanding The Speed of Attacks
When analyzing MDR and IR investigations, the Sophos X-Ops team looked specifically at ransomware, data exfiltration, and data extortion cases to identify how fast attackers progressed through the stages of an attack within an organization. In those three types of cases, the median time between the start of an attack and exfiltration was only 72.98 hours (3.04 days). Furthermore, there was only a median of 2.7 hours from exfiltration to attack detection.
“Passive security is no longer enough. While prevention is essential, rapid response is critical. Organizations must actively monitor networks and act swiftly against observed telemetry. Coordinated attacks by motivated adversaries require a coordinated defense. For many organizations, that means combining business-specific knowledge with expert-led detection and response. Our report confirms that organizations with proactive monitoring detect attacks faster and experience better outcomes,” said John Shier, field CISO.
Other Key Findings from the 2025 Sophos Active Adversary Report:
· Attackers Can Take Control of a System in Just 11 Hours: The median time between attackers’ initial action and their first (often successful) attempt to breach Active Directory (AD) – arguably one of the most important assets in any Windows network – was just 11 hours. If successful, attackers can more easily take control of the organization.
· Top Ransomware Groups in Sophos Cases: Akira was the most frequently encountered ransomware group in 2024, followed by Fog and LockBit (despite a multi-government takedown of LockBit earlier in the year).
· Dwell Time is Down to Just 2 Days: Overall, dwell time – the time from the start of an attack to when it is detected – decreased from 4 days to just 2 in 2024, largely due to the addition of MDR cases to the dataset.
· Dwell Time in IR Cases: Dwell time remained stable at 4 days for ransomware attacks and 11.5 days for non-ransomware cases.
· Dwell Time in MDR Cases: In MDR investigations, dwell time was only 3 days for ransomware cases and just 1 day for non-ransomware cases, suggesting MDR teams are able to more quickly detect and respond to attacks.
Ransomware Groups Work Overnight: In 2024, 83% of ransomware binaries were dropped outside of the targets’ local business hours.
· Remote Desktop Protocol Continues to Dominate: RDP was involved in 84% of MDR/IR cases, making it the most frequently abused Microsoft tool.
To shore up their defenses, Sophos recommends that companies do the following:
· Close exposed RDP ports
· Use phishing-resistant multifactor authentication (MFA) wherever possible
· Patch vulnerable systems in a timely manner, with a particular focus on internet-facing devices and services
· Deploy EDR or MDR and ensure it is proactively monitored 24/7
· Establish a comprehensive incident response plan and test it regularly through simulations or tabletop exercises
Read the full It Takes Two: The 2025 Sophos Active Adversary Report on Sophos.com.
With the introduction of Travel Saga, a premium, fast-paced gaming experience that is currently live and accessible to customers on its network, Globacom has lifted the bar for mobile entertainment in the country.
Travel Saga is a story-driven, intricately connected role-playing game designed to provide the thrill, complexity, and competitive intensity of some of the most well-known action games in the world.
The game, which has been painstakingly optimized for mobile devices, redefines mobile gaming as a full-fledged digital battlefield by translating a console-grade experience onto data-enabled handsets.
Fundamentally, Travel Saga takes users on quick virtual journeys against recognizable international landscapes. In a dynamic, ever-evolving gaming environment, players are thrown into furious missions, fierce fights, and ever-expanding tales where talent, strategy, and endurance determine who rises through the ranks to become a true war hero.
In addition to the excitement of fighting, users are encouraged to go to various locations, take part in thrilling challenges, and participate in intense competition for in-app rewards like points and victory badges. With each encounter and accomplishment, the immersion increases with each level, maintaining momentum and excitement.
Flexible subscription plans with one-time or auto-renewal choices are available to subscribers for the service, which costs ₦100 per day and ₦250 per week. By dialing *70021#, customers can quickly subscribe and gain instant access to the action.
With Travel Saga, Glo reaffirms its dedication to innovation and high-end digital experiences, making top-notch gaming easily accessible to its customers. The game offers uninterrupted action, adventure, and competition, all smoothly supported by the Glo network.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
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