A new report shows that cyber attacks in the last two years increasingly involve initial access brokers (IAB). These groups sell or provide entry points into compromised systems, allowing other attackers to move faster and reduce risks. According to a recent analysis, state sponsored threat groups and advanced hacking operations are now relying heavily on these brokers to speed up intrusions.
Industries such as government, healthcare, education, and transportation have seen a rapid increase in IAB related activity from 2023 to 2024. The healthcare sector faced the most dramatic rise, with incidents increasing by almost 600 percent in the same period. The report also notes that IABs are becoming popular tools for nation state hackers, particularly during periods of geopolitical tension.
The analysis warns that IABs have moved beyond small scale criminal activity. It states that “IAB activity is no longer a peripheral criminal phenomenon but a force multiplier in the broader offensive ecosystem, one that directly supports espionage, coercive operations, and potential disruption of U.S. government and critical infrastructure networks.” It further recommends that policymakers treat deterrence, resilience, and rapid recovery from cyber attacks as essential national security capabilities.
As IABs continue to expand their role, the report stresses that governments and organisations must strengthen defences and prepare for faster and more complex cyber threats.
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