Fortinet releases 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report detailing rise in cybercrime and AI usage in attacks

FortiGuard Labs 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report highlights a boom in Cybercrime-as-a-Service on the darknet, fueling a lucrative market for credentials, exploits, and access

Fortinet has released its 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report. The report provides an analysis of the trends and tactics used in cyberattacks during 2024, utilizing the MITRE ATT&CK framework. It highlights the increasing use of automation, commoditized tools, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) by threat actors.

“Our latest Global Threat Landscape Report makes one thing clear: Cybercriminals are accelerating their efforts, using AI and automation to operate at unprecedented speed and scale,” said Derek Manky, Chief Security Strategist and Global VP Threat Intelligence, Fortinet FortiGuard Labs. “The traditional security playbook is no longer enough. Organizations must shift to a proactive, intelligence-led defense strategy powered by AI, zero trust, and continuous threat exposure management to stay ahead of today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape.”

Key findings from the report include:

• Automated scanning hits record highs. Active scanning in cyberspace rose by 16.7% globally in 2024, with FortiGuard Labs reporting billions of scans each month, equating to 36,000 scans per second.
• Darknet marketplaces fuel access to exploit kits. There was a 39% increase in new vulnerabilities added to the National Vulnerability Database, highlighting a growing trend in the commoditization of exploits.
• AI-powered cybercrime scales. Threat actors are leveraging AI to enhance the effectiveness of phishing attacks and circumvent security defenses.
• Targeted attacks on critical sectors intensify. Industries such as manufacturing and healthcare are being increasingly tailored for cyberattacks, with the U.S. experiencing the highest attack rates.
• Cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) security risks escalate. Attacks exploiting cloud weaknesses are on the rise, particularly through compromised logins from unfamiliar geographies.
• Credentials as currency in cybercrime. More than 100 billion compromised records were shared on underground forums in 2024, indicating a growing market for stolen credentials.

This year’s report provides critical insights and prescriptive recommendations for CSOs and security teams to enhance their defenses against emerging threats.

In addition, it features a “CISO Playbook for Adversary Defense” that emphasizes proactive measures, including adopting continuous threat exposure management and simulating real-world attacks.