Intruder Index Finds Exposed MySQL Databases at 26% of Organizations
Summary
Intruder’s 2026 index, based on anonymized data from 3,000 customers, finds exposed MySQL databases at 26% of organizations and remediation averaging up to 56 days for organizations with 5,000–10,000 employees.
Key points
- The index covers anonymized Intruder customer data from the 12 months to March 2026.
- MySQL was the most common listed exposure, affecting 26% of organizations; exposed Postgres databases affected 16%.
- HTTP panels were reported by 60% of organizations, ports and services by 49%, databases by 42%, and files and information by 30%.
- Midmarket organizations with 251–5,000 employees were more likely than SMEs to have an exposure: 70% versus 54%.
- Organizations with 5,000–10,000 employees averaged 56 days to remediate issues, the longest interval reported by organization size.
- Insurance organizations averaged 50 days to remediate, compared with 10 days for retail organizations.
- The report recommends discovering internet-reachable assets, removing exposures that are unnecessary, and monitoring for changes.
Article Details
- Publisher
- Intruder
- Report Period
- 12 months to March 2026
- Scope
- Anonymized attack-surface exposure and remediation data from Intruder customers.
- Sample Size
- 3,000 organizations
- Key Statistics
- 60% of organizations had at least one exposed HTTP panel in the past 12 months.
- 49% had at least one exposed port or service, 42% an exposed database, and 30% an exposed file or information resource.
- MySQL was the most common listed issue, affecting 26% of organizations; exposed Postgres affected 16%.
- Organizations with 5,000+ employees averaged 1,688 internet-exposed assets.
- Average remediation time peaked at 56 days for organizations with 5,000–10,000 employees; Insurance had the longest industry average at 50 days.
- Recommendations
- Discover internet-reachable assets, remove exposure from services that do not need to be public, and monitor for changes.
- Reduce internet exposure of services that do not need to be publicly reachable, alongside vulnerability patching.
People
Vendors
Industries
Automobiles & Components- **Automobiles & Components**: 43 daysFinancial Services- **Financial Services**: 24 daysHealthcare- **Healthcare**: 15 daysInsurance- **Insurance**: 50 daysMedia- **Media**: 20 daysPharmaceuticals & Biotech- **Pharmaceuticals & Biotech**: 43 daysProfessional Services- **Professional Services**: 16 daysreal estate- **Real Estate**: 14 daysSoftwareWith AI models like Anthropic's Mythos now capable of autonomously discovering thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities, any unnecessary software left facing the internet is carrying more risk than ever.Telecoms- **Telecoms**: 14 days