There’s a word that keeps coming up more and more in security circles: Convergence.
It sums up what many of us in the field see happening every week: how traditional cyber threats are blending with geopolitical tensions and economic rivalries. Hackers, organized crime groups, and state-sponsored actors are no longer separate problems. They’re collaborating, borrowing tactics from each other, and targeting everyone from big critical infrastructure providers to regional manufacturers and local governments.
For mid-market organizations, this is an uncomfortable shift. You’re not “too small” to matter anymore. You’re part of the supply chain, the digital ecosystem, the broader target that attackers exploit to reach bigger fish or cause maximum disruption.
In this blog, we’ll break down what convergence really means, what recent threat campaigns are showing us, and how you can build a practical defense plan to handle attacks that don’t respect borders or categories.
What “Convergence” Means for Today’s Threat Landscape
Convergence means the old lines between cybercrime, hacktivism, and state-sponsored espionage are getting blurry. Here’s what that looks like in real life:
- Hacktivists are aligning with nation-state interests, hitting private companies to make political statements or disrupt supply chains.
- Criminal gangs are using tools originally developed by state actors - selling access, sharing infrastructure, or doing “hacks for hire.”
- Geopolitical conflicts are sparking attacks far from the front lines. Local businesses, utilities, and logistics companies get caught up in retaliation campaigns they had nothing to do with.
So, a phishing email or fake software update might look like standard cybercrime, but the stolen data could end up with a nation-state group. That’s convergence.
How Conflict and Crime Feed Each Other
This isn’t just theoretical. Recent conflicts have shown how quickly digital attacks follow real-world tensions. Hacktivists with clear political ties are targeting transportation, healthcare, and regional utilities. Organized ransomware groups are pivoting to work with larger syndicates or sell stolen access to the highest bidder.
Small and mid-sized businesses end up on the receiving end because:
- They’re connected to bigger partners that are prime targets.
- They often have weaker controls and visibility.
- Attackers know they can use them as stepping stones.
Recent Campaigns That Show Convergence in Action
Let’s look at some real threats that highlight this mix of motives and methods.
Amatera Stealer
A credential stealer that’s spread through fake update prompts and cracked software. It’s not new, but the infrastructure behind it overlaps with groups that dabble in both financial crime and politically motivated attacks.
DarkCloud Stealer
Focuses on harvesting credentials stored in browsers. While mainly run for profit, the stolen data often ends up for sale to bigger players who use it for broader espionage campaigns.
ClickFix Campaign
Masquerades as legitimate software support popups. It’s a mix of social engineering and stealthy infiltration, showing how “harmless” popups can be a first step toward much bigger breaches.
Vulnerabilities Making It Worse
Part of what makes convergence so powerful is how threat actors combine clever social engineering with well-known technical flaws. Some of the actively exploited vulnerabilities we’re tracking include:
-
Fortinet FortiOS Hard-Coded Credentials (CVE-2019-6693)
Gives attackers direct access to your security appliances. -
D-Link DIR-859 Path Traversal (CVE-2024-0769)
Lets attackers reach sensitive files on routers. -
AMI MegaRAC SPx Auth Bypass (CVE-2024-54085)
Lets bad actors impersonate admins on server management tools. -
Linux Kernel Ownership Flaw (CVE-2023-0386)
Privilege escalation for attackers to get deeper access. -
TP-Link Routers Command Injection (CVE-2023-33538)
Remote code execution on common consumer routers. -
Apple Unspecified Vulnerability (CVE-2025-43200)
Under active exploitation, details sparse - shows how fast attackers move. -
Microsoft Windows Path Manipulation (CVE-2025-33053)
Can be used to overwrite or read files they shouldn’t see. -
RoundCube Webmail XSS (CVE-2024-42009)
Injects scripts through emails—an easy way to steal logins. -
Erlang/OTP SSH Auth Bypass (CVE-2025-32433)
Disables authentication entirely for certain servers.
No fancy exploits needed. Many attackers just wait for someone to leave these flaws unpatched.
Why Mid-Market Companies Can’t Afford to Ignore This
When the line between political conflict and cybercrime disappears, small and mid-sized businesses become easy stepping stones. Suppliers, regional utilities, local governments, and manufacturers are all part of a larger target map.
If you’re depending on third parties, remote work setups, or aging systems that don’t get regular patches, convergence makes you a prime test bed. Attackers can practice on you, refine their tools, then scale up to hit bigger companies or critical infrastructure.
What You Can Do to Disrupt Convergence-Based Attacks
You don’t need a huge SOC or unlimited budget to start fighting back. But you do need clear basics in place.
1. Tighten Access Controls
Use the principle of least privilege. Lock down admin accounts. Always require MFA.
2. Know Your Assets
Keep an accurate inventory of devices, apps, and suppliers. If you don’t know what you have, you can’t protect it.
3. Monitor Across Layers
Don’t just watch endpoints. Look at your network, cloud services, and even routers. Convergence means attackers move across them all.
4. Patch Known Flaws
Focus on the vulnerabilities that let attackers escalate access or hijack devices. Automate patching wherever possible.
5. Stay Current on Threat Intel
Subscribe to feeds that flag newly exploited vulnerabilities. Managed detection services can help here.
6. Train People to Spot Red Flags
Most attacks still start with someone clicking a fake link or running an “urgent” update. Teach teams to question the unexpected.
7. Practice Response Plans
Simulate how you’d handle a credential stealer that moves laterally. Test your backup and recovery steps.
Final Thoughts: Convergence Isn’t Just for Big Targets
When cybercrime and politics meet, every business, no matter the size, can get caught in the crossfire. You can’t control world events, but you can control how quickly you detect unusual activity, patch known flaws, and limit how far an attacker can get if they slip in.
Stay vigilant. Keep your defenses layered. And never assume you’re too small or too local to be part of something bigger.
Ready to See the Whole Picture?
Gradient Cyber helps mid-market organizations spot threats that cross boundaries across endpoints, cloud apps, and third parties. Our Managed XDR services give you the visibility and threat hunting you need, without needing a massive in-house SOC.
👉 Reach out to talk about how convergence affects your business and how you can stay one step ahead.
