Post-Incident Review Analysis (2022–2025 Cyber Incidents)

Generated on 11 February 2025, using OpenAI’s “o1 pro*” and “Deep Research Tool**”

* o1 pro mode, a version of o1 that uses more compute to think harder and provide even better answers to the hardest problems.

** An agent that uses reasoning to synthesize large amounts of online information and complete multi-step research tasks for you. 

Question

Using publicly available Post Incident Review documents across all industries from cyber incidents beteween 2022 and 2025, answer two questions:

1 What are the key contributing factors to the source of the breach

2 What are the key mitigations to prevent these types of breaches

Answer

Between 2022 and 2025, organizations across multiple industries suffered significant cyber incidents. Public post-incident reviews of these breaches reveal common patterns in how attackers succeeded and what mitigations are recommended to prevent recurrences. Below is a summary of the key contributing factors that led to breaches—spanning technical flaws, human errors, policy gaps, and threat actor tactics—followed by the key mitigations recommended across industries.

Sources of Breaches: Key Contributing Factors

1. Technical Vulnerabilities and Weaknesses

  • Absent or Weak Authentication Controls: A lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) on critical systems, or insecure MFA implementations, was a factor in multiple breaches.
  • Unpatched or Legacy Systems: Outdated software and legacy network architectures contributed to breaches by leaving known vulnerabilities unaddressed, or limiting the effectiveness of modern security tools. In some cases, zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used applications led to widespread data theft.
  • Misconfigurations and Exposed Services: Improperly configured security settings, such as firewalls or VPNs, often provided attackers an entry point. Lack of network segmentation allowed attackers to move laterally without adequate resistance.
  • Credential Management Flaws: Insecure storage of administrative passwords or hardcoded credentials in scripts often gave attackers direct access to critical systems.

2. Human Errors and Insider Mistakes

  • Social Engineering Success: Many incidents began with phishing or other social engineering tactics, tricking employees into divulging credentials or approving malicious access requests.
  • Unsafe User Behaviors: Employees or contractors sometimes saved passwords insecurely (e.g., in personal browser profiles), opening doors for attackers to harvest credentials.
  • Inadequate Training or Awareness: Several reviews noted that insufficient security awareness training left users vulnerable to evolving phishing or “MFA fatigue” attacks.

3. Policy and Process Gaps

  • Lax Security Governance and Risk Management: Known security weaknesses often remained unaddressed due to poor prioritization or oversight.
  • Inadequate Incident Detection and Response Processes: Organizations with insufficient or poorly integrated monitoring often missed early red flags, allowing attackers to expand their foothold.
  • Poor Security Culture and Accountability: A lack of leadership focus on cybersecurity or insufficient enforcement of security policies allowed vulnerabilities to persist unchecked.

4. Threat Actor Tactics and Techniques

  • Credential Theft (Phishing & Malware): Threat actors commonly employed phishing, smishing, vishing, and malware to steal valid user credentials.
  • Exploitation of Software Vulnerabilities: Attackers exploited known or zero-day flaws in widely used software, sometimes leading to large-scale data breaches.
  • “Living off the Land” and Lateral Movement: Once inside a network, attackers used legitimate tools and admin credentials to escalate privileges and blend in with normal operations.
  • Double Extortion Ransomware: Many ransomware campaigns exfiltrated data in addition to encrypting files, pressuring victims to pay or risk public data leaks.

Key Mitigations: Preventing Future Breaches

1. Strengthening Technical Security Controls

  • Implement Multi-Factor Authentication Everywhere: Mandate MFA for all user accounts and external access points to reduce the risk of account compromise. Consider strong, phishing-resistant methods like hardware tokens.
  • Enhance Network Segmentation and Access Controls: Modernize network architectures to limit lateral movement and enforce least privilege. Review firewall rules and remove hardcoded or shared credentials.
  • Upgrade and Patch Systems Proactively: Regularly patch critical vulnerabilities and retire legacy systems that can’t be effectively secured. Maintain a rigorous vulnerability management program.
  • Improve Monitoring and Detection Capabilities: Deploy modern endpoint detection and response tools, enable comprehensive logging in cloud environments, and investigate any suspicious behavior promptly.

2. Process and Incident Response Improvements

  • Routine Drills and Stronger Incident Response Plans: Conduct regular tabletop exercises and full-scale tests of disaster recovery plans.
  • Retain External Incident Response Expertise: Secure a retainer with incident response specialists who can assist immediately when an attack is detected.
  • Rapid Intrusion Investigation Triggers: Investigate even minor anomalies or alerts that could signal an early-stage intrusion.
  • Comprehensive Staff Training and Phishing Simulations: Provide ongoing security awareness programs for all roles and conduct simulated phishing exercises to boost user vigilance.

3. Policy and Governance Enhancements

  • Elevate Security to a Board-Level Priority: Ensure senior leadership and boards understand and act on cyber risk, allocating proper resources for security measures.
  • Enforce Baseline Security Standards and Policies: Adhere to recognized security frameworks, updating them as industry standards evolve. Address policy gaps or outdated controls promptly.
  • Streamline Risk Exception and Acceptance Processes: Improve visibility and accountability for accepted risks, and revisit deferrals regularly to avoid leaving vulnerabilities unremediated.
  • Third-Party Security and Supply Chain Policies: Strengthen oversight of vendors and partners, ensuring they meet security requirements. Monitor access and enforce least-privilege principles.
  • Cross-Industry Collaboration and Intelligence Sharing: Participate in information-sharing networks or forums to learn from peers and anticipate emerging threats.

Conclusion and Cross-Industry Trends

Despite the diversity of victims—ranging from tech and healthcare to financial and public institutions—these incidents from 2022 to 2025 exhibit common failure points and recommended solutions. In many breaches, attackers used social engineering and credential theft to gain initial access, or exploited unpatched systems to compromise targets. Once inside, they moved laterally through flat networks, eventually exfiltrating data or deploying ransomware.

Core prevention strategies—deploying robust authentication, segmenting networks, patching systems diligently, training employees, and improving detection—are consistently recommended across post-incident reviews. Organizations are also placing greater emphasis on security culture at the highest levels, to ensure that known threats and vulnerabilities are addressed promptly. By implementing these mitigations and fostering a culture where security is integral to operations, organizations across industries can significantly reduce the likelihood and impact of future cyber incidents.