New Report: Cyberattackers Are Exploiting Their Access More Quickly Than Ever

Uh oh. Cyberattackers are getting faster. That means you have to do the same.

A recent report from VulnCheck demonstrates a growing danger for companies who suffer cybersecurity breaches: Not only are the attackers effective at penetrating company systems, they are also becoming extremely quick at exploiting the breaches.

According to the VulnCheck report, the first half of 2025 saw 32.1 percent of all Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEVs) exploited within a span of only 24 hours after they were made public. But understand, that range also includes a growing number of exploitations that happen before the company even realizes it’s been breached.

This is up from 23.6 percent last year, and what it means is that threat actors are becoming increasingly adept at finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in lightning-quick fashion. Often they’ve gotten in and done the damage before the IT staff even realizes there has been a breach.

This is a case of the bad guys doing what’s necessary to stay ahead of technologies designed to thwart them. Nascent detection methodologies move quickly compared to their predecessors in recent years, but they do need some time to gain traction.

The problem becomes even more serious when you realize this is giving attackers the opportunity to perpetrate sophisticated, multi-stage attacks that help them bypass legacy-based protection systems. Not only do they breach the system, but they use their position on the inside to implant ransomware, or exfiltrate data, or conduct cyber espionage.

Now that cyberattackers are moving so quickly to the exploitation phase of the attack, IT departments need to not only shore up their defenses but also develop more effective reactions to attackers who have already gained a foothold. But how can you do that when you don’t even realize they’re in?

How can companies respond? First, it’s critical to expedite vulnerability patching. But that’s just the start. Companies also need to implement vulnerability management systems that are sophisticated enough to conduct rapid assessments, prioritize and conduct patching in real time – then reboot the system, sometimes without any human even involved with the process. Because if you wait around for the IT guy to personally take action, the attacker might have already accomplished everything he came to do.

Also critical: Be sure to implement a strong zero-trust architecture that doesn’t assume anyone should have default access to sensitive data. That provides far too many openings for cyberattackers to exploit. And of course, be sure everything is protected by multifactor authentication technologies. That goes for every user account in your organization. No exceptions.

Finally, be sure to implement continuous security monitoring protocols so you can recognize malicious traffic on newly released vulnerabilities. And of course, be sure that every member of your organization is trained and vigilant about cyber threats.

There is literally no time to waste. Cyberattackers are getting in that frequently and exploiting their access that quickly – more so than ever. You need to shore up your defenses.

I am happy to help. Contact me at 616.217.3019 or email dacarey@cybersynergies.io.