---
title: Data Breach Investigations Report
description: Verizon's report on data breaches points the way on how to build our cyber defences.
---

[Byte-size Bulletins ](https://www.thefinalstep.co.uk/bytesizebulletins)

# [Data Breach Investigations Report](https://www.thefinalstep.co.uk/bytesizebulletins/data-breach-investigations-report-2021)

 Written by [Simon Heath](https://www.thefinalstep.co.uk/bytesizebulletins/author/simon-heath) | May 26, 2021

 

Writers of the Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) describe the survey as “not in the business of prediction but it can go a long way to help you shape your response strategy in the face of an uncertain future.”

It’s a detailed report, but the headlines are:

- Phishing, criminals conning people to hand over login credentials, was used in 36% (up from 25% the previous year) of breaches.
- Ransomware increased 10% with a trend to double extortion, i.e. in addition to locking the data criminals also extract it to leak or sell it publicly.

Data breaches have increased by a third as criminals know that security teams and users are stretched by the demands of remote working which is making everyone a little less vigilant.

Since 85% of breaches contained a human element your defences for 2021 should include instilling what we at The Final Step call a “security-first mindset” in your company. But to quote the report:

*“The conversation about data leakage has flipped from “if” to “when” a company will be breached by malicious actors. The fight against cyber breaches continues to depend on an organization’s [sic] ability to train and adapt its members’ behaviors [sic] to protect against actions such as credential theft, social engineering, and user error”.*

You can read Verizon’s report online or download it [here](https://www.verizon.com/business/en-gb/resources/reports/dbir/?cmp=paid_search:google:ves_international:gm:awareness&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=GGL_BND_UK_Security_DBIR_BMM&utm_content=UK_Security_DBIR&utm_term=%2Bverizon%20%2Bbreach&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAjwqIiFBhAHEiwANg9szj6KanqnbAikLTOA3qUYs1s5ZMMr-_aHapGvg_-O_-qso4OGNM6jahoCCoMQAvD_BwE).

 

The image is taken from the cover of the DBIR

[View full post](https://www.thefinalstep.co.uk/bytesizebulletins/data-breach-investigations-report-2021)

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