For many business owners, cybersecurity still feels like a technical issue.
Something the IT team handles in the background.
But the latest threat intelligence coming from Cloudflare tells a very different story.
Cloudflare blocks over 230 billion cyber threats every single day. Their network processes roughly 20 percent of global web traffic, giving them one of the clearest views of how cyberattacks actually happen.
The patterns emerging from their 2026 Cyber Threat Report reveal an uncomfortable truth.
Cybercrime has become fully automated, faster than humans can respond, and designed specifically to exploit normal business operations.
For companies in Austin, Georgetown, Round Rock, and throughout Central Texas, understanding these shifts is critical.
Because the way attackers operate today is very different from just a few years ago.
And businesses that rely on outdated security strategies are becoming the easiest targets.
The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Modern Cyber Threats
Most companies still think about cybersecurity in terms of passwords.
If employees use strong passwords and enable multi factor authentication, they assume they are protected.
Unfortunately, the threat landscape has evolved.
Today’s attackers are focusing on something far more powerful.
They steal active login sessions.
Infostealer malware such as LummaC2 extracts session tokens from infected machines. Those tokens allow attackers to access systems where a user is already authenticated.
This means they can bypass multi factor authentication entirely.
According to the report, 54 percent of ransomware attacks in 2025 originated from infostealer enabled credential theft.
At the same time, automation has changed the scale of attacks.
Cloudflare reports that 94 percent of login attempts are now performed by bots.
Even more alarming, 46 percent of human login attempts use credentials already exposed in previous breaches.
This means attackers are constantly testing stolen credentials across thousands of systems simultaneously.
If a business is not actively monitoring these attempts, the intrusion often goes unnoticed.
And once attackers gain access, the damage escalates quickly.
Some intrusions now move from initial access to data exfiltration in minutes.
For organizations that rely on technology to operate, the stakes are enormous.
Why Attackers Are Targeting Critical Infrastructure and Manufacturing
Another major trend highlighted in the report is the focus on industries where downtime is expensive.
Manufacturing companies, logistics providers, and critical infrastructure organizations accounted for more than half of ransomware targets in 2025.
Why?
Because operational disruption creates immediate pressure to pay.
When production stops, revenue stops.
Many companies do not realize how vulnerable they are until a cyber incident forces systems offline.
For example, attackers now routinely use cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud to host their infrastructure.
This tactic is known as Living off the XaaS.
Malicious activity is routed through legitimate cloud services, making it extremely difficult for traditional network defenses to distinguish between normal and harmful traffic.
Nation state groups have taken this even further.
Some attackers have used Google Calendar events to transmit encrypted commands to compromised systems.
Others host command and control infrastructure inside cloud platforms that businesses trust every day.
This blending of legitimate and malicious traffic is one reason cyber threats are becoming harder to detect.
Email Authentication Gaps Are Fueling Phishing
Email continues to be one of the most common entry points for cyberattacks.
Yet many organizations still have incomplete email authentication configured.
Cloudflare analyzed 450 million emails and found:
43 percent failed SPF checks
44 percent lacked valid DKIM signatures
46 percent failed DMARC
These gaps allow attackers to send spoofed emails that appear to come from legitimate sources.
Phishing campaigns now impersonate widely trusted brands such as Microsoft, Windows, Stripe, and Facebook.
Business Email Compromise attacks alone resulted in over $123 million in attempted financial theft in 2025.
Interestingly, the average BEC attempt was around $49,225.
Researchers believe attackers intentionally choose amounts just below thresholds that require executive approval.
For businesses, this highlights the importance of strong email authentication and employee awareness.
Because even sophisticated organizations can fall victim to well crafted phishing attempts.
DDoS Attacks Are Getting Larger and Faster
Distributed Denial of Service attacks are also reaching unprecedented scale.
Cloudflare observed 47.1 million DDoS attacks in 2025, more than double the previous year.
The largest attack recorded reached 31.4 terabits per second, nearly six times larger than the biggest attack seen in 2024.
Perhaps more concerning is the speed of these attacks.
Most lasted less than ten minutes.
That short window makes manual response nearly impossible.
Automated protection is now essential.
Organizations that rely on human intervention simply cannot respond quickly enough to mitigate modern DDoS events.
A New Type of Insider Threat
The report also identified a surprising tactic used by North Korean operatives.
Some state sponsored actors are obtaining employment at Western companies using AI generated profiles and deepfake video interviews.
Once hired, they gain legitimate access to internal systems.
Indicators of this type of infiltration include:
Impossible travel login alerts
Mouse jiggling software to simulate activity
Video metadata artifacts associated with deepfake rendering
For businesses embracing remote work, this introduces a completely new category of security risk.
How Businesses in Austin Should Respond
Cybersecurity does not need to be complicated.
But it does require a strategy that reflects how threats actually work today.
Business leaders should focus on a few critical priorities.
First, secure identities rather than relying solely on passwords.
Identity protection should include session monitoring, conditional access policies, and continuous authentication.
Second, monitor systems in real time.
Many modern attacks move quickly. Without continuous monitoring and response, intrusions may go undetected until damage has already occurred.
Third, implement layered security.
Endpoint protection, email filtering, network security, and backup systems should work together rather than operating independently.
Fourth, close email authentication gaps.
Proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration dramatically reduces phishing risks.
Finally, ensure rapid response capabilities.
When attacks occur, the speed of response often determines the outcome.
Organizations with managed detection and response services typically contain incidents far more quickly than those relying on internal teams alone.
CTTS: Helping Central Texas Businesses Stay Ahead of Cyber Threats
At CTTS, we work with organizations throughout Austin, Georgetown, Round Rock, and across Central Texas to build cybersecurity strategies designed for today’s threat landscape.
Our role is simple.
We guide business leaders through the complexity of modern IT and cybersecurity so they can focus on growing their organizations.
From proactive monitoring to layered security architecture, our approach ensures businesses are prepared for threats that evolve every day.
Because cybersecurity is no longer about reacting after something goes wrong.
It is about staying ahead of attackers before they reach your systems.
If you would like a clear assessment of your current security posture, schedule a free strategy session with CTTS today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cyber threats occur daily worldwide?
Cloudflare reports blocking over 230 billion threats per day across its global network.
Why are session tokens dangerous in cyberattacks?
Session tokens allow attackers to access systems where a user is already authenticated, bypassing traditional password and MFA protections.
What industries are most targeted by ransomware?
Manufacturing and critical infrastructure sectors are the most targeted due to the high financial impact of operational downtime.
Contact CTTS today for IT support and managed services in Austin, TX. Let us handle your IT so you can focus on growing your business. Visit CTTSonline.com or call us at (512) 388-5559 to get started!