New Research Reveals Three Quarters of Cybersecurity Incidents Occur Due to Unmanaged Assets

Trend Micro evaluation highlights alarmingly low use of attack surface management tools

DALLAS, April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, today announced new research* revealing a worrying disconnect between recognition of attack surface risk and use of specialized tools to manage that risk. Trend announced the findings at the RSA Conference in San Francisco.

To learn more about Trend's latest research, visit: https://www.trendmicro.com/explore/aichangingcyberrisk

The global study of over 2,000 cybersecurity leaders revealed that 73% have experienced security incidents due to unknown or unmanaged assets. The number of these assets has rapidly increased with the proliferation of generative AI and the increased complexity that comes with it, as well as continued growth the number of IoT devices used in offices and employees' homes.

As a result, 91% of respondents acknowledged that attack surface management is either directly or somewhat connected to their organization's business risk. A large share also recognized that failing to manage risk across exposed assets can have significant negative impacts beyond immediate security threats, including: 

• Operational continuity (42%)
• Market competitiveness (39%)
• Customer trust/ brand reputation (39%)
• Supplier relationships (39%)
• Employee productivity (38%)
• Financial performance (38%)

However, despite this apparent recognition, just 43% of global organizations use dedicated tools to proactively manage risk across their attack surface, the study revealed. Over half (55%) said they have no processes in place to do so continuously—a must in order to mitigate and contain risk before it can impact operations. 

On average, only 27% of responding organizations' budgets are dedicated to managing attack surface risk, with over three-quarters (77%) of companies claiming that their current resources are adequate for addressing these challenges. 

Kevin Simzer, COO at Trend: "As far back as 2022, global organizations were worried that their cyber-attack surface was spiraling out of control. The challenge is even more pressing today. Yet while most understand the impact this is having on business risk, few are taking proactive security measures to mitigate that risk continuously. Managing cyber risk exposure should be a top priority for all businesses."

*Trend Micro commissioned Sapio Research to interview 2250 individuals with responsibility for IT and/or cybersecurity—across multiple verticals, organisation sizes and 21 countries in Europe, North America and APAC. 

About Trend Micro 
Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fuelled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro's AI-powered cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, Trend's platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 70 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. www.TrendMicro.com.

SOURCE Trend Micro Incorporated