Shark Attacks vs. Cyber Attacks: What’s Really Lurking Below the Surface?
Shark Week is a great excuse to dive into some ocean drama, but let’s be honest, the chances of getting bitten by a shark are extremely low. The real predators threatening businesses today aren’t circling in the water, they’re hidden in code, emails, and unsecured networks.
Let’s break down the numbers.
Shark Attacks in U.S. Waters (2025 to Date)
So far this year, three shark attacks have been reported in U.S. waters: one in Florida (unprovoked, non-fatal), one in Hawaii (provoked, tour operator incident), and one more, likely the Florida event noted above (Shark Stewards).
While serious, these incidents are rare and isolated.
Cyber Attacks Targeting U.S. Businesses (2025 So Far)
Now, let’s talk about the digital threats business owners are facing every day.
- DDoS Attack Surge in June: Between June 21 and 22, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on U.S. businesses jumped by 800%, hitting industries like manufacturing, finance, and government. These were largely tied to coordinated hacktivist efforts.
- Major Data Breaches: Several high-profile breaches have already occurred this year. Organizations like UNFI (a major grocery wholesaler), healthcare systems, and local governments were all compromised—impacting hundreds of thousands of individuals. Additionally, a Chinese-linked espionage group breached nine major U.S. telecom providers, accessing metadata on more than one million users.
- The Small Business Reality: Small and mid-sized businesses are not immune. In fact, 46% of U.S. cyber breaches affect companies with fewer than 1,000 employees. In one recent year, over 700,000 attacks targeted small businesses, resulting in an estimated $2.8 billion in losses.
Comparing the Threats
Metric
- Number of Incidents
- Scale
- Impact
Shark Attacks (U.S.)
- 3 (year to date)
- Extremely rare
- Mostly minor injuries
Cyber Attacks (U.S.)
- Hundreds of thousands
- Widespread across all industries
- Data theft, outages, financial and legal risk
The Bottom Line
Shark attacks are rare, random, and usually survivable. Cyber attacks, on the other hand, are relentless, damaging, and expensive. And they’re hitting businesses of all sizes, every single day. So while Shark Week is entertaining, it’s worth remembering: the real danger to your business isn’t in the ocean, it’s online.
Need help improving your defenses?
Tech 2020 Solutions specializes in helping businesses stay secure, compliant, and prepared. Reach out today for practical strategies and support that keep your company protected from digital threats.
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