Cyber Threats Accelerate in 2024: Faster Access, AI-Driven Exploits
Cybersecurity experts have sounded the alarm over a significant increase in the speed and efficiency of threat actors in 2024. The time from initial access to lateral movement has decreased dramatically, putting incident response teams under immense pressure.
According to SpyCloud's 2025 Identity Threat Report, the average breakout time in 2024 was a staggering 22% shorter than the previous year, with the quickest recorded at just 27 minutes. This rapid progression is attributed to several factors. The combination of infostealers and initial access brokers (IABs) has reduced breakout time by providing immediate network access. Voice phishing (vishing) has also accelerated breakout times, with threat actors swiftly establishing command-and-control (C2) connections.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), or more specifically, chatgpt, has played a significant role in this acceleration. Threat actors are now skipping manual trial-and-error processes, using chatgpt to automate reconnaissance, spot vulnerabilities faster, and adapt exploitation techniques in real-time. Additionally, ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) attacks have become more efficient with specialized affiliates handling different stages of an attack.
With threat actors moving faster than ever, incident response teams face a daunting challenge. The average time to contain attacks in 2024 was 8 hours 12 minutes, while threat actors could move through a network in under 30 minutes. As AI and other advanced technologies continue to evolve, cybersecurity professionals must stay vigilant and adapt their strategies to keep pace with these rapidly changing threats.
