AI as a Weapon for Attackers
The report highlights an alarming acceleration in cyber threats: In 2025, attackers systematically leveraged AI to carry out attacks with unprecedented speed and complexity. Adversaries used artificial intelligence to bypass traditional security controls, operate undetected across multiple domains, and identify unmanaged edge devices in particular as potential entry points.
Key findings from the report:
- 27 seconds: Fastest eCrime breakout ever recorded
- 89% increase in attacks by AI-enabled adversaries
- 42% increase in zero-day vulnerabilities exploited before public disclosure
- 40% of vulnerabilities exploited by China-nexus threat actors targeted edge devices
- 266% increase in cloud-conscious intrusions by nation-state threat actors
“The findings mark a critical turning point in the cyber threat landscape,” explains Adam Meyers, SVP of Counter Adversary Operations at CrowdStrike. “Attackers are not only using AI as an accelerator, but are also creating entirely new attack surfaces, particularly across unmanaged devices and cloud environments.”
Strategic Recommendations for Organizations
The report provides actionable insights into how organizations can address these evolving threats. These include:
- Implementing AI-powered security solutions to defend against AI-driven attacks
- Expanding monitoring of edge devices and cloud infrastructure
- Proactively managing software supply chains and vulnerabilities
- Strengthening identity and access management
Virtual Threat Analysis
In addition to the report, CrowdStrike is hosting an exclusive virtual threat analysis session where experts will explore the key findings in greater depth and present practical use cases. The session will be hosted by Adam Meyers, Cristian Rodriguez (Field CTO for the Americas), and J Myers (Director of OverWatch).
About CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike is a leading provider of cloud-native cybersecurity solutions designed to protect organizations against advanced cyber threats. The Falcon platform uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and stop attacks in real time.
