Naperville Managed IT Services Firm LeadingIT Breaks Down New Phishing and Breach Data for Chicagoland Small Businesses
Verizon's 2026 DBIR found stolen credentials, long the top initial access vector, fell from 22% in the 2025 report to 13% this year, though not because password theft stopped working. Exploitation of unpatched vulnerabilities jumped to 31%, a 55% increase, and Verizon notes credential misuse still appears in 39% of breaches when tracked at any stage. Attackers added a second front; they did not retreat from the first.
Chart comparing Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report findings: stolen login credentials were the first way attackers got into 22% of breaches in the 2025 report, falling to 13% in the 2026 report, a year-over-year decline in credential-based initial access.
Microsoft's Q1 2026 email threat report logged roughly 8.3 billion email-based phishing threats in three months, including about 2.9 billion in January alone; its Q2 2026 report recorded 7.6 billion more. QR-code phishing grew 146% in Q1 as attackers looked for ways around URL filters. Turning that volume into a workable plan is the challenge LeadingIT, a Chicagoland-based managed IT services and cybersecurity provider, has spent over a decade solving, pairing IT support and IT outsourcing with 24/7 monitoring. Local businesses know LeadingIT as a trusted technology partner for Chicagoland-area businesses handling both layers.
For a small or mid-size business without a dedicated security team, the takeaway is that patching cadence and phishing awareness now carry equal weight. A business that trains staff but leaves systems unpatched is exposed on one side; one that patches but never discusses QR-code lures is exposed on the other.
"National breach data confirms what we see with the businesses we talk to every week: attackers stopped relying on a single trick a long time ago,” said Stephen Taylor, Founder & CEO of LeadingIT. “Stolen passwords used to be the clear top entry point. Now an unpatched system is just as common, and phishing volume hasn’t slowed. If you don’t have a dedicated security analyst on staff, timely patching and employee awareness training both have to move up the priority list right now."
As an IT MSP built for businesses running 25 to 250 end users, LeadingIT operates as a full managed service provider, pairing an IT help desk with network security monitoring. Business owners can schedule a consultation at LeadingIT's Naperville office to review how their setup holds up against this year's threat data.
LeadingIT isn't selling fear. It's translating national threat data into steps a busy owner can act on this quarter: confirm patching is current, confirm multi-factor authentication is enforced everywhere possible, and run a phishing simulation before the next one lands for real. Learn more about LeadingIT or explore open IT positions.
About LeadingIT
LeadingIT is a managed IT services and cybersecurity provider serving Naperville, IL and surrounding areas including Aurora, Lisle, and DuPage County. Located at 1755 Park St Suite 200, Naperville, IL 60563, LeadingIT specializes in managed IT services, cybersecurity, IT support, cloud solutions, network management, and IT help desk services for businesses of 25-250 end users. The firm recently expanded its western-suburbs coverage to include Wheaton, Bensenville, Downers Grove, Itasca, and Addison. Founded in 2010, LeadingIT serves more than 2,500 end users across roughly 200 Chicagoland organizations, with a 98% client satisfaction rate. The company's tagline is "We Figure IT Out." Call (815) 308-2095 or visit goleadingit.com.
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