Cyber incidents, such as ransomware attacks, data breaches, and IT outages, are the top global risk for 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year at the top of the Allianz Risk Barometer.
This emphasizes the growing importance of cybersecurity for businesses and individuals alike, as the number and sophistication of data breaches continue to rise.
This article provides a detailed analysis of data breach statistics in 2025, drawing on a variety of industry reports, research papers, and news articles, including Experian’s annual industry forecast, which offers valuable insights into the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
Research Methodology
To gather data for this report, we conducted research on data breach statistics in 2025 by:
- Finding reports and articles on data breaches that occurred in 2025.
- Finding statistics on the number of data breaches in 2025 compared to previous years.
- Finding statistics on the industries most affected by data breaches in 2025.
- Finding statistics on the causes of data breaches in 2025.
- Finding statistics on the impact of data breaches in 2025 (e.g., financial losses, reputational damage).
- Finding research papers or analysis on the trends and patterns of data breaches in 2025.
Number of Data Breaches
While precise figures for the total number of data breaches in 2025 are not yet available, the trend of increasing breaches observed in previous years has continued.
Experian reported supporting over 4,000 client data breaches in the first three quarters of 2024, impacting more than 66 million consumers globally.
This represents a 13% increase from 2023. In the U.S., available data indicates that 817 data breaches were reported in the first half of 2022.
However, this number may not reflect the complete picture due to limitations in data collection.
The Identity Theft Resource Centre reported that the number of data breach victims surpassed 1 billion in the first half of 2024, a staggering 490% increase from the same period in the previous year.
This highlights the alarming growth rate of data breaches and the increasing risk to individuals and organizations.
Several factors contribute to this upward trend, including:
- Increased reliance on technology: As businesses and individuals become more reliant on technology for daily operations and interactions, the attack surface for cybercriminals expands, providing more opportunities for exploitation.
- Sophistication of attacks: Cybercriminals are constantly developing new and more sophisticated methods to exploit vulnerabilities, employing advanced techniques to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Rise of AI in cybercrime: Hackers are increasingly using AI to automate attacks, such as phishing campaigns and password cracking, making them more efficient and difficult to detect.
- Third-party vulnerabilities: Attacks targeting third-party vendors are on the rise, as seen with the MOVEit vulnerability, highlighting the interconnected nature of cyber risk and the potential for widespread disruption.
In 2024, several major data breaches occurred, including:
- Breach of CISA: This breach highlighted the risks associated with third-party vulnerabilities, as attackers exploited weaknesses in a trusted organization.
- SEC Breach: This breach exemplified the growing threat of SIM swapping, a technique used to gain unauthorized access to accounts by hijacking phone numbers.
These incidents underscore the need for organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and proactively address emerging threats.
Read also: Your Guide to Cloud-Based Automated Data Backup
Industries Most Affected by Data Breaches
While data breaches impact all sectors, some industries are more frequently targeted than others due to the nature of the data they handle. Healthcare and finance consistently rank among the most affected sectors.
In 2025, the following industries were among the most affected:
| Industry | Description |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Healthcare organizations possess vast amounts of sensitive patient data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. The increasing use of connected medical devices and electronic health records further expands the attack surface in this sector. |
| Finance | Financial institutions hold valuable financial data and personally identifiable information (PII), making them prime targets for cyberattacks aimed at financial gain or identity theft. |
| Government/Military | Government and military organizations are often targeted due to the sensitive nature of the information they hold, including national security data and critical infrastructure information. |
| Education/Research | Educational and research institutions hold valuable intellectual property, research data, and personal information of students and staff, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. |
| Retail | The retail industry stores large volumes of customer data, including payment card information and personal details, making them vulnerable to data breaches that can result in financial losses and reputational damage. |
| Energy | The energy sector is increasingly targeted due to its critical role in national infrastructure. Attacks on energy companies can disrupt operations, cause financial losses, and potentially compromise national security. |
Causes of Data Breaches
Understanding the root causes of data breaches is crucial for developing effective prevention and mitigation strategies. In 2025, the following were among the leading causes of data breaches:
- Phishing: Phishing attacks remain a prevalent threat, with cybercriminals employing increasingly sophisticated techniques to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information or granting access to systems.
- Ransomware: Ransomware attacks continue to plague organizations, encrypting critical data and demanding payment for its release. The increasing use of double extortion tactics, where attackers threaten to leak stolen data, adds another layer of complexity to this threat.
- Malware: Malware infections, including viruses, worms, and Trojans, can compromise systems, steal data, and disrupt operations. The proliferation of malware variants and delivery methods poses a significant challenge for cybersecurity professionals.
- Insider Threats: Data breaches caused by insiders, whether intentional or unintentional, can be particularly damaging. These threats can stem from negligence, malicious intent, or compromised employee accounts.
- Cloud Vulnerabilities: As organizations increasingly migrate to cloud environments, securing cloud infrastructure and data becomes paramount. Misconfigurations, vulnerabilities in cloud applications, and inadequate access controls can lead to data breaches.
Top 10 Data Breaches of 2024
2024 witnessed a surge in high-profile data breaches, impacting millions of individuals and organizations worldwide. Here are 10 of the most significant breaches:
- Change Healthcare: This healthcare giant suffered a massive data breach affecting 100 million individuals, highlighting the vulnerability of healthcare data to cyberattacks .
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan: A significant breach impacted 13.4 million individuals, raising concerns about the security of personal health information .
- Infosys: This IT services company experienced a breach involving 8.5 million records, underscoring the risks faced by technology providers .
- UnitedHealth: A data breach affected 100 million individuals, further emphasizing the vulnerability of the healthcare sector .
- Young Consulting: This consulting firm suffered a breach impacting 950,000 individuals, demonstrating that no organization is immune to cyberattacks .
- Ticketmaster: This ticketing platform experienced a breach affecting 40 million individuals, highlighting the risks associated with online platforms that handle large volumes of personal data .
- Evolve Bank: This financial institution suffered a breach impacting 7.6 million individuals, emphasizing the ongoing threat to the financial sector .
- Texas Tech University System: This university system experienced a cyberattack that potentially exposed the data of 1.4 million patients, highlighting the vulnerability of educational institutions .
- Santander Bank: This bank suffered a data breach compromising 30 million customer records, further emphasizing the vulnerability of the financial sector .
- AT&T: This telecommunications giant experienced a breach involving call and text records spanning multiple months, raising concerns about the security of sensitive communication data .
These breaches serve as a stark reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the need for organizations to prioritize data protection.
Impact of Data Breaches
The impact of data breaches can be far-reaching, affecting individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. Some of the key consequences include:
- Financial Losses: Data breaches can result in significant financial losses for organizations, including the costs of incident response, data recovery, legal fees, regulatory fines, and reputational damage.
- Reputational Damage: Data breaches can severely damage an organization’s reputation, eroding customer trust and impacting brand value. Negative publicity and loss of customer confidence can have long-term consequences for business sustainability.
- Operational Disruption: Data breaches can disrupt business operations, leading to downtime, service interruptions, and loss of productivity. This can impact revenue streams, customer satisfaction, and overall business performance.
- Legal and Regulatory Consequences: Organizations that suffer data breaches may face legal and regulatory sanctions, including fines, penalties, and lawsuits. Compliance with data protection regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, is essential to minimize legal risks.
- Identity Theft and Fraud: Data breaches can expose individuals to identity theft and fraud, leading to financial losses, emotional distress, and damage to credit scores. Protecting personal information is crucial to mitigate these risks.
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Conclusion
Data breaches continue to pose a significant threat in 2025, with the number and sophistication of attacks on the rise.
Organizations and individuals must remain vigilant and proactive in their cybersecurity efforts to mitigate these risks.
Read also:
- How to Choose an Automated Data Backup Service
- #10 Best Automated Data Backup Solutions
- 8 Benefits of Automated Data Backup
- Automated Data Backup Pricing: A Comprehensive Report
