Why do 80% of cyberattacks succeed?
Why do 80% of cyberattacks succeed? Verizon DBIR data, configuration errors, the human factor and what MSPs can do to build real cyber resilience for SMEs.
In 2025, according to Statista, no fewer than 60% of businesses were hit by a ransomware attack.
How can this be, despite ever-growing investment in security? The answer is not straightforward, and it doesn’t lie solely in the sophistication of the attackers.
For Managed Service Providers (MSPs), understanding the root causes of this high failure rate is critical to better serve and protect their clients.
This article unpacks the main weaknesses being exploited and provides concrete steps to strengthen defences.
The human factor: the biggest vulnerability
Technology cannot do everything. Counter to popular belief, the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain remains the end user. It is a reality often overlooked but statistically proven. Some sectors are particularly affected, such as education and the public sector.
A few figures from the Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR):
- Credential abuse is the most common vector at 22%.
- Exploitation of vulnerabilities comes in second at 20%.
- Phishing accounts for 16% of known initial access vectors in breaches that don’t involve errors or misuse.
Phishing, social engineering or simply forgetting to update a password are easy entry points for attackers. Inadequate awareness and training turn technically secure environments into a playground for cybercriminals.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly exposed because they don’t always have the resources to defend themselves.
| Common human weaknesses | What to put in place |
|---|---|
| Clicking on a malicious link | Run regular, targeted phishing simulations. |
| Using weak or reused passwords | Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) and strict rotation policies. |
| Neglecting software updates | Educate users on the importance of patches and automate rollouts. |
For an MSP, the value lies in proactively managing this human vulnerability, going beyond simply installing antivirus. Training and crisis simulation must be integrated as core services.
Technical debt and forgotten patches
Behind the failure of 80% of cyberattacks also lies the scourge of unpatched vulnerabilities. Technical debt builds up when organisations, for lack of time or resources, defer updates (patches) to software, operating systems or network equipment.
But cybercriminals are experts at exploiting known vulnerabilities.
According to the US agency CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), the overwhelming majority of cyberattacks use flaws for which a patch has been available for months or even years.
A classic example is old, unsupported operating systems, or third-party applications where patches are not applied in good time.
Patch management is a complex and time-consuming process, especially in heterogeneous client environments.
An MSP must offer continuous vulnerability monitoring and automated patch management to ensure all client systems are up to date.
A zero trust policy is also essential: every user and every device must be systematically verified, even inside the internal network.
Lack of visibility and reactivity in the defences
Many organisations have security tools (firewalls, antivirus, EDR), but these often operate in silos and lack centralised coordination. The absence of a holistic view of the security state of the network and endpoints is a critical weakness.
Attackers only need a few minutes, sometimes a few seconds, once they have crossed the first line of defence.
If IT teams or the MSP take hours to detect suspicious activity (lateral movement on the network, the execution of an unknown script), the attack has already succeeded.
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): endpoint detection and response solutions are vital, but they must be actively supervised.
- Evolving threats: attack techniques constantly change. Attackers increasingly exploit zero-day vulnerabilities (unknown ones) or fileless methods, making traditional signature-based security solutions ineffective.
- Alert fatigue: the volume of alerts generated by security systems is often so high that it leads to alert fatigue, where critical signals are drowned out in the noise and ignored.
To address this issue of visibility and reactivity, a unified security approach is essential. This is where specialised managed cybersecurity solutions (such as managed SOC) make sense for MSPs.
The complexity of compliance and the regulatory landscape
Compliance with regulations (such as GDPR in Europe or sector-specific frameworks) is a major driver of cybersecurity investment. But beware: it is not a guarantee of full security. Complying with the law is an obligation, not a defence strategy.
Yet many organisations focus on the bare minimum required by the texts, which creates a false sense of security. For instance, GDPR requires security measures for personal data. Article 32 mandates appropriate technical and organisational measures.
However, putting this into practice is often a challenge.
For MSPs, guaranteeing the continuous compliance of their clients is a very high-value service. It involves:
- Regular security audits: verifying that the technical measures align with legal requirements and best practices (for example, recognised national cybersecurity frameworks).
- Security governance: helping the client establish clear policies on data access, incident management and breach response (who, how, when).
Failing to apply a robust security policy, even while being compliant, leaves the door open. The MSP can no longer simply install tools. It must integrate compliance into an overall defence strategy.
The MSP role: from prevention to resilience
The failure rate of traditional defences highlights an urgent need for MSPs to evolve their offering. Historically, MSPs focused on infrastructure and prevention (antivirus, firewall). Today, the reality is that compromise is inevitable.
Attackers are faster and more organised, often operating like organised crime businesses. Faced with this threat, the strategy must shift from “how do we avoid the attack” to “how do we detect the attack quickly and respond effectively”, in other words, building cyber resilience.
To do this, MSPs must add next-generation managed cybersecurity services to their portfolio:
- SOC (Security Operations Center) as a Service: 24/7/365 monitoring of clients’ IT estates by external experts.
- MDR (Managed Detection and Response): detect subtle threats and react immediately to contain the attack.
- Identity and Access Management (IAM): enforce strict control over who accesses what and when.
These services require cutting-edge skills and sophisticated platforms that MSPs can rarely build alone.
To address these complex challenges, partnering with cybersecurity experts such as Cyna is a strategic option for MSPs. It is a compelling solution for managed service providers who want to deliver top-tier protection to their clients.
80% of breaches are due to misconfigurations
Yes, 80% of security exposures are fuelled by misconfigurations. But this is not a fatality; see it as an alarm signal. It reflects the exhaustion of a defence model built solely on preventive tools, plus the accumulation of technical debt and the human factor.
For MSPs, the opportunity is clear: become the cybersecurity partner of their clients. That means integrating user training, mastering patch management, and above all adopting managed SOC solutions capable of operating 24/7.
By specialising or partnering with platforms such as Cyna, MSPs can turn this worrying statistic into a competitive advantage. They will safeguard the continuity and security of their clients’ business in the face of an ever-present cyber risk.