The era of the “break-in” is over. Attackers are now leveraging valid credentials and session tokens to bypass traditional perimeters. The latest telemetry from Guardz highlights a shift toward quiet, identity-driven campaigns.

89%
SMBs with confirmed credential compromise
2,000%
Spike in Google Workspace OAuth abuse
25:1
Non-human to human identity ratio
 

The Evolution of Stealth: BEC 3.0

Attackers are moving away from loud malware and toward “living-off-the-land” techniques. By monitoring legitimate email threads for weeks, adversaries use AI-generated voice and context-aware messaging to authorize fraudulent transactions without ever triggering a security flag.

 

RMM: The New Command & Control

RMM tool abuse now accounts for 26.2% of all endpoint threats. By exploiting legitimate tools like ScreenConnect and NinjaRMM, attackers create encrypted channels that are indistinguishable from authorized MSP traffic.

 

Immediate Operational Priorities

  • Phishing-Resistant MFA: Standardize on FIDO2/Passkeys to prevent session hijacking.
  • OAuth Governance: Audit application grants and enforce admin-level approval requirements.
  • Behavioral Monitoring: Monitor inbox rules and non-human identity patterns in real-time.
  • Kill Legacy Auth: Disable outdated protocols via Conditional Access to prevent MFA bypass.

Download the full 2026 State of MSP Threat Report

About Guardz

Guardz is on a mission to create a safer digital world by empowering Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Their goal is to proactively secure and insure Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) against ever-evolving threats while simultaneously creating new revenue streams, all on one unified platform.

About Version 2

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.
Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.