The OpenText 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report released today indicates that over one-third of all business malware infections now originate from the user’s “Downloads” folder. Cybercriminals are using AI to create SEO-poisoned websites and fake “productivity tools” that lure users into downloading poisoned payloads voluntarily.
Business Impact
This represents a shift from “breaking in” to “invitation-based” entry. Traditional email filters are bypassed when users search for tools like “PDF converter” or “Network scanner” and download top-ranked malicious results. For businesses with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, a personal device download can easily become a corporate network ransomware event.
Why It Happened
The industrialization of cybercrime has made malware distribution more like legitimate marketing. Attackers use generative AI to write perfect business language and refine their lures to match current industry trends, making them nearly undetectable by visual cues alone.
Recommended Executive Action
Implement strict Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) policies that scan every new file in the Downloads directory. Mandate the use of corporate-approved software repositories and block the execution of unsigned binaries on all work devices.
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