10 different types of computer attack to be aware of in 2025

If 2024 was the scene of a large number of cyberattacks, with a record number of personal data breaches, many of them massive, 2025 confirms the predominance of this type of cyberthreat. Today, our digital environment is strongly marked by a rise in increasingly diverse and sophisticated acts of cyber-maliciousness against the information systems (IS) of companies that are often too vulnerable.

This article explains what is at stake in this type of cyberattack, and details the most common threats, as well as those at work in 2025.

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What's at stake in a computer attack?

The financial stakes of a computer attack

When a company falls victim to a cyber-attack, it usually means direct and indirect financial loss.

This loss is direct and immediate when the attack vector is ransomware, in which the hacker takes the company's data hostage in return for payment of a ransom. It can also take the form of a fake money transfer scam, or the illicit use of stolen means of payment.

Financial loss following a computer attack can also be indirect. A company or organization that has been the victim of a computer attack may have to invest considerable sums to restore its information system to normal operation. It must also reorganize its security policy and put in place the equipment and software needed to correct its vulnerabilities.

To get an accurate idea of the financial cost of a computer attack, it is also necessary to take into account operating losses due to business stoppages and service interruptions.

The challenge of confidentiality and data protection

Protecting confidential data is a crucial issue for all organizations. The main target of cyber-attacks, this data includes information and contact details on customers, suppliers and partners, as well as industrial and commercial secrets. When compromised, this data is more often than not resold, used to set up scams, or even divulged in the public arena to destabilize companies.

Legal and regulatory issues

When a cyberattack on a company's information system is made possible by non-compliance with current regulations on data security and protection ( RGPD ), the company may be exposed to legal action and sanctions.re security and protection of collected data (RGPD), it may be exposed to legal proceedings and suffer sanctions.

What's at stake for the organization's reputation?

The theft of confidential data following a cyber attack can also have significant repercussions for the organization's reputation. In addition to the damage caused to the company, it can permanently damage the trust of its customers and business and industrial partners.

💡Example: In 2020, Zoom saw its reputation tarnished by several security flaws, including a lack of end-to-end encryption and unauthorized meeting intrusions ( "zoombombing"). These problems led to a loss of trust and prompted the company to urgently reinforce its data protection measures.

The human factor

A computer attack is no minor matter for a company's employees. It often has a psychological impact on them, and even more so on the person who inadvertently clicked on the wrong link. Such events inevitably create stress and tension, which can have a detrimental effect on employees, especially if no provision is made after the event to support them, educate them and explain good practice.

What are the different types of computer attack?

Type 1 - Phishing

This type of cyber-malware has been at the top of the list for several years, both in the business world and among the general public. Also known as phishing, it consists of a cyber attacker posing as a trusted contact (a bank, Ameli, a well-known e-commerce site, etc.) in order to obtain from the victim :

• confidential data,
• login details
• any other sensitive information, etc.

... with the aim of using them fraudulently.

📌The process is always the same: the cyber-malware sends an alarmist e-mail or SMS (in the case of a smishing attempt), urging the victim to click on a (corrupted) link in the message. This type of fraudulent message is well known:

• requesting urgent payment of an unpaid invoice,
• asking for availability following a parcel delivery problem,
• offering a refund or a one-off commercial offer, etc.

The purpose of a phishing or smishing attack (its derivative) is to mislead you in order to collect your confidential and banking data, so as to impersonate you and debit your company's account.

Example of phishing: "Orange

Type 2 - Account hacking

This computer attack consists of a cybercriminal taking control of an account at the expense of its legitimate owner. Email accounts are frequently targeted, as they represent a considerable source of information. But other types of account are also in the crosshairs of attackers, such as social networking accounts, administrative sites and e-commerce platforms.

To take possession of these accounts, hackers can exploit :

• A weak password,
• The same password as an account previously hacked during a phishing campaign,
• An inadvertently communicated password,
• A password used on equipment carrying a password-stealing virus...

Whatever the method, the aim is to collect confidential and sensitive information for resale, fraudulent transactions, phishing campaigns, impersonation of the account owner to harm him or her, or to mislead business contacts.

Type 3 - Ransomware

Ransomware is a computer attack based on a malicious program that prevents access to computers or files by encrypting them. The aim of this computer attack is to extort money, often in cryptocurrency, in exchange for restoring access to the data or system taken hostage. Businesses, government agencies and hospitals are regular victims of this highly damaging cyberattack.

The ransomware is installed on the targeted configuration when an infected attachment is opened. It can also be installed by clicking on a malicious link in a phishing e-mail or by browsing a compromised website. It can also be installed following a system intrusion via an unpatched vulnerability.

Type 4 - False payment orders

In a Forged Transfer Order (FTO) attack, the cybercriminal assumes the identity of a supplier awaiting payment. He transmits new bank details (RIB change) and is paid instead of the supplier.

The president scam works on the same principle: a request for a bank transfer, supposedly from a company executive, to be made urgently and confidentially. In the latter case, the fraudulent use of an executive's e-mail account is made possible by hacking into the account.

Type 5 - Data breach

" 5,629 data breaches were notified to CNIL in 2024: +20% on the previous year ", and the upward trend continues with, over the first quarter of 2025, more than 2,500 data breaches reported. Almost half of what was recorded in 2024.

Personal and confidential data leakage or breach refers to the unauthorized access, movement, storage or dissemination of confidential, personal or financial information held by a third party. The third party in question may be a website, a company, a local authority or a government department.

To understand the difference between these two concepts:

• A data leak is the result of unintentional exposure of a sensitive database. This exposure may take place on the Internet, or result from the loss of a hard disk or other device containing the data.
• A data breach is linked to a cyber attack.

Whatever form it takes, it is a serious breach of security and privacy, with the potential to cause serious harm to victims (individuals and organizations). A personal data leak or breach also has a significant financial and legal impact , and can seriously damage an organization's reputation. Indeed, customers, users and partners may no longer have confidence in a company that fails to put in place the necessary measures to protect their confidential and sensitive information.

Type 6 - Hacking

Another computer attack frequently used by cyber-criminals, hacking involves the hacker stealthily gaining access to a computer, server, network, online service, cell phone or connected object in order to take control of it. Once in place, the hacker illegally collects the organization's sensitive data.

This computer attack, orchestrated using unpatched or even unpublished vulnerabilities(zero day vulnerabilities) in the information system and connected equipment, will be used :

• bank fraud operations,
• identity theft,
• espionage operations,
• harm the organization,
• interfere with the operation of the information system.

Type 7 - Website spoofing

The website spoofing attack is based on identity theft. The modus operandi is as follows: a well-known website is cloned to create a malicious site and lure Internet users there to collect login details, banking information and other confidential data.

Users are redirected to these fake sites via misleading links in phishing e-mails. Some malicious programs can also modify the hosts file of terminals to redirect people to illicit websites rather than official ones. By associating your bank's address, for example, with that of a fake site, you'll be automatically redirected to a fake page similar to the original, but riddled with fraudulent links.

Type 8 - Denial of service

The most exposed organizations are also often targeted by the so-called Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. This cyber attack aims to make a website inaccessible, for example, by sending a large number of requests to saturate access. A DDoS attack is based on the exploitation of a security flaw to stop a service or degrade its operation.

This type of computer attack is highly damaging for the company, community or association that falls victim to it. E-commerce sites, for their part, immediately lose considerable sums of money, and potentially customers who turn to other solutions.

These cybercriminal actions directly damage an organization's reputation, discrediting it in the eyes of its users, customers, business partners and industrial partners.

Type 9 - Viruses

🦠Viruses are computer attacks designed to compromise the security of the systems into which they are injected, to alter the proper functioning of digital resources, or to take control of them. They can also be used to steal confidential and sensitive data.

Some viruses install themselves by stealth, exploiting unpatched system or software vulnerabilities. Computer viruses do not need a host file to propagate. They replicate themselves automatically, infecting other devices via networks or e-mail.

Classic viruses that use a booby-trapped file attachment or hide in illicit software activate as soon as they are opened and begin replicating. Other sophisticated viruses, known as polymorphic viruses, modify their structure and never retain the same signature, making detection by antivirus software ineffective and their eradication extremely complex.

👉 Some of the best-known viruses include :

• Trojans. These viruses, hidden within a seemingly legitimate program, open a backdoor to take control of the infected device, collect data...
• A keylogger is a spyware virus whose aim is to record the user's keystrokes and memorize the data entered. This technique is often used to steal login and bank details.

Type 10 - Cyberstalking

Cyberbullying is on the rise in the corporate world. Less visible than physical or verbal harassment, this malicious act has equally disastrous consequences for the victims and impacts the organization's operations.

Cyberbullying refers to hostile, degrading or even threatening behavior:

• The repeated sending of e-mails, instant messages or posts on social networks,
• Spreading rumors aimed at damaging the reputation of targeted individuals, or ostracizing them from online discussions.

New technologies such as generative artificial intelligence and Big Data are helping to make computer attacks more complex and less easily detectable. They also make them easier to personalize and industrialize. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of an agile technological environment that enables them to cross-reference information to establish precise digital profiles, and to combine several types of computer attack to achieve their ends.

The most common computer attacks in 2025

Even if the arsenal of cybercriminals' attacks remains more or less the same from one year to the next, the evolution of technologies and uses, and the proliferation of connected objects, are leading to the emergence of new trends.

These new-generation threats are characterized by the growing sophistication of computer attack strategies and the systematic integration of artificial intelligence into procedures.

Exploiting system and software vulnerabilities

This computer attack vector benefits from a considerable increase in the number of vulnerabilities and the often late deployment of patches. The time elapsed between the discovery of a vulnerability and its patching by organizations represents an attack opportunity for cybercriminals.

With an increase of 38% in 2024 compared to 2023, this type of attack is intensifying thanks to the significant investments made by cybercriminals to analyze and identify exploitable vulnerabilities.

Zero day attacks

The zero day attack exploits vulnerabilities that have not been discovered or documented by software publishers, and for which no patches have yet been released. Thus, 23.6% of vulnerabilities reported in 2024 had been exploited before being publicly disclosed.

Computer attacks based on the exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities are highly effective. They enable cybercriminals to compromise networks while remaining undetected. Sectors such as :

• energy
• telecommunications
• public institutions...

... are often the victims of these attacks. Their complex and heterogeneous infrastructures, some of which are aging, represent a prime target and high profit potential for cybercriminals.

Attacks on cloud environments

These open environments, highly connected and accessible via the Internet, offer many advantages. However, they also offer cybercriminals an extensive attack surface:

• Web portals,
• API,
• Hypervisor,
• Misconfiguration,
• Permissive rights,
• Network access,
• Database access.

These innovative technological environments expose organizations to increased cybersecurity risks, such as zero-day attacks or attacks linked to unpatched systems.

Cyberattack with ransomware

Ransomware may have made the headlines in 2024, but in 2025 it will still be ubiquitous. Hackers have even perfected their strategies to maximize their potential financial gains.

Phishing attacks

The latest example of this type of computer attack is the phishing campaign targeting subscribers to several major newspapers and magazines, including Le Monde, Télérama and Le Figaro. In this campaign, aimed at illegally collecting Internet users' bank details, cybercrooks used advanced technological tools specially designed to deceive Internet users, and sold online in the form of phishing kits. These deceptive sites are hosted on servers containing exclusively booby-trapped sites imitating :

• streaming services,
• Ameli,
• well-known banks,
• electricity suppliers,
• delivery services, etc.

Step 1: Cybercriminals acquire domain names similar to those used by legitimate sites,

Step 2: The cybercriminals install the kit and manage the phishing e-mail or smishing SMS.

Step 3: The payment details entered by the victims are then sent directly to them via an encrypted messaging system.

Supply chain vulnerabilities

Organizations' IT infrastructures are increasingly open to their ecosystems, in order to speed up various commercial, logistical and industrial processes. The benefits are many, but these interconnected systems are exposed to numerous cyber risks. It is against this backdrop that attacks on suppliers, or more precisely on the supply chain, to infiltrate a target's system or network are developing. This indirect cyber threat is set to become increasingly common in 2025.

Computer attack via connected objects (IoT)

The omnipresence of connected objects in sectors as varied as industry, healthcare and critical infrastructures, and the numerous vulnerabilities of this often poorly-secured equipment, represent a major cyber risk. Hackers have a considerable attack surface at their disposal, giving them the opportunity to exploit various methods to :

• take control of equipment,
• intercept unencrypted communications...

Smishing, an exponentially growing computer attack on smartphones

The increase in the number of people using their cell phones at work, and the spread of telecommuting, are making it easier for cybercriminals to gain access to corporate networks via this channel. Smishing and malicious applications aimed at stealing credentials from banking platforms are the main vectors of mobile attacks, as users are more easily deceived on a mobile terminal than on their desktops.

Artificial intelligence for enhanced attacks

Today, generative artificial intelligence is a major lever for hackers. This cutting-edge technology, combined with Big Data and machine learning , enables the rapid generation of highly sophisticated, effective and hard-to-spot computer attacks. By cross-referencing data collected from various legal sources (public information) and illegal sources (those stolen or purchased on the dark web), hackers automatically generate phishing messages.automatically generate convincing phishing messages, since they are personalized and adapted to the target's profile, and have an improved success rate.

AI also helps to:

• Improving the effectiveness of malicious code (malware),
• Manage botnet networks involved in DDoS attacks,
• Industrialize cyberattacks,
• Detect vulnerabilities in artificial intelligence used by organizations, systems and software.

Attack risks via open source software

As an alternative to proprietary software, open source software is developed and maintained through open collaboration. They are regularly used in networks, cloud computing and businesses due to their many advantages:

• free access to source code
• increased customization,
• data control,
• interoperability,
• compliance with standards,
• lower costs.

Open source solutions can be found in virtually every business sector. They are regularly the target of cyber-attacks, mainly due to vulnerabilities that are not always addressed. Indeed, many projects lack the maintenance or resources to be proactive in detecting flaws and publishing patches. The incident involving the open-source PyPI package infested with malware illustrates the potential danger for thousands of organizations.

Here are the main cyber risks associated with the use of open source software:

• Presence of known, but as yet unpatched, vulnerabilities,
• Vulnerability of the open source software ecosystem, including dependencies on other projects,
• Compromised packages,
• Obsolete and unmaintained software versions...

With hackers becoming increasingly professional and using cutting-edge technologies, open source software vulnerabilities are a central concern for organizations.

What can we learn from computer attacks in 2025?

In 2025, we can say that computer attacks against businesses, government agencies, local authorities and associations have two aspects. On the one hand, it relies on classic methods of exploiting human vulnerabilities, such as phishing, smishing, fake bank transfers and cyber-stalking campaigns. On the other hand, it relies on the enormous technological resources mobilized by cybercriminals to detect, exploit and carry out cyberattacks for financial gain, organizational damage or to further a nation's interests.

There is also talk of the uberization of cybercrime, with cutting-edge technological resources and a clear separation of roles between suppliers of technological infrastructures, their customers, who collect victims' bank identifiers and credit card numbers, and users. The latter purchase the stolen data from the person or criminal organization that collected it, and manage fraudulent online purchases and asset recovery logistics.

There is also a trend among cybercrooks to increase the complexity of their modus operandi by using anti-detection techniques such as :

• Geofencing (blocking a site abroad),
• Cloaking (displaying a different page depending on the visitor's origin),
• Traffic filtering...

Finally, we should also mention a new form of computer attack, known as hybrid. This type of modern cyber-malware can target any point in the information system infrastructure, exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities on environments interconnected to cloud technologies, compromised access, or using identifiers collected on the dark web. With generative AI and dynamic cloud resources such as IaaS and SaaS, cybercriminals are able to mobilize substantial resources to increase the impact of cyberattacks.

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Hybrid IT cybersecurity: the solution in 2025!

Faced with the sophistication and automation of cyberthreats, organizations are obliged to react and implement proactive cybersecurity that is global, agile and resilient. They also need to involve all their stakeholders to take into account not only technological vulnerabilities, but also human vulnerabilities, raise awareness and get them to adopt good cyber practices.

Cybersecurity in 2025 must combine cutting-edge technologies to cover the information system in its entirety, rigorous organization (regular security audits, management of vulnerability updates, etc.), and the implementation of awareness-raising sessions for employees. Education is crucial, as employees are often the first victims of phishing or smishing attacks.