Check Point Research today released findings showing that weekly cyber attacks increased 32% year-over-year, with 1 out of 40 organizations impacted by a ransomware attack. Key highlights include:
- Average weekly attacks per organization worldwide reached a peak of 1.2K attacks, a 32% increase year-over-year
- Education/ Research sector continues to be the most heavily attacked industry, seeing a 53% increase year-over-year
- Globally, 1 out of 40 organizations were impacted by Ransomware attacks, a worrying 59% increase year-over-year
- Latin America seeing the largest increase in Ransomware attacks, with 1 out of 23 organizations impacted weekly, (43% increase YoY),
with the Asia region following with 1 out of 17 organizations impacted weekly (33% increase YoY)
All of those numbers are pretty scary, but not surprising. Saryu Nayyar, CEO and Founder, Gurucul explains why:
“It’s no surprise that cyber-attacks are increasing year over year. What is surprising is that organizations still aren’t deploying modern defenses to protect themselves from these increasingly sophisticated attacks. Ransomware in particular is a nasty trend since criminals often execute double extortion tactics whereby, they not only encrypt the victim’s data but also exfiltrate it for sale or exposure. This reinforces the need for newer and more advanced technologies beyond current XDR and SIEM platforms to prevent a successful detonation of ransomware. Prioritizing solutions that automate detection, prioritize seemingly random indicators of compromise for further investigation and automate responses with a high-level of confidence are critical in deciding where to invest.”
Chris Olson, CEO of The Media Trust has this to add:
“The alarming acceleration of cyberattacks in 2022 has many factors, from rising financial and political incentives for cybercrime, to the proliferation of malware and exploits through easily accessible darknet markets. Attackers are also increasingly relying on the Web and mobile devices as channels for ransomware spread, expanding the number of surfaces through which consumers, organizations and government agencies can be targeted.
With consumers bearing the heaviest cost for data breaches, financial fraud and exposed credentials, today’s organizations must prioritize the safety of their customers, and vet their digital third parties for strong security practices.”
I think this Check Point report illustrates that the time for talking about cybersecurity is over and the time for action is now. I say that because everyone is a potential victim if they don’t take action to defend themselves.