In epidemiology, vectors are agents that transmit infectious diseases. They can range from living things (mosquitoes, bats) to inanimate objects (syringes, paper money).1 Understanding these vectors informs disease prevention and transmission efforts in the realm of public health.
Similarly, understanding the versatility of cyberattack vectors helps organizations (and the cybersecurity professionals working with them) to devise and deploy strategies and tools for cyber threat detection and remediation.
Without such detection and remediation, grave consequences may follow. Attack vectors often enable data breaches, in which threat actors gain access to sensitive or confidential information.
According to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2025 report, the average cost of a data breach is USD 4.44 million. Costs stem from breach investigations and audits; reporting breaches to customers, regulators and stakeholders; settlements and legal fees; and lost customers. Incidents tend to be especially costly in highly regulated fields where data breaches can result in regulatory fines. For instance, according to the IBM report, the average cost of a healthcare data breach in 2025 is USD 7.42 million.
Attack vectors can also be deployed by hackers to disable or destroy assets, causing significant business and economic disruptions. In September 2025, for example, a cyberattack on airport check-in systems caused flight cancellations and delays at airports in major European cities. Earlier in the same month, a cyberattack forced a weeks-long shutdown at a large British automaker.