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Cyberattacks Worldwide Increased to an All-Time High, Check Point Research Reveals

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High quality 3D rendered image, perfectly usable for topics related to big data, global networks, international flight routes or the spread of a pandemic / computer virus. Textures courtesy of NASA: https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/images/55167/earths-city-lights, https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/images/73934/topography

High quality 3D rendered image, perfectly usable for topics related to big data, global networks, international flight routes or the spread of a pandemic / computer virus.
Textures courtesy of NASA:
https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/images/55167/earths-city-lights,
https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/images/73934/topography

The volume of cyberattacks worldwide has noticeably increased to an all-time high, owing to an unstable geopolitical climate precipitated by the Russian-Ukraine war and the corresponding cyber aggression, a study by Check Point found.

Cyberattacks Rise 38%

According to Check Point’s 2023 Security Report, cyberattacks have risen by 38% in 2022 compared to the previous year, with an average of 1,168 weekly attacks per organization recorded. Education and research remains the most targeted sector, but attacks on the healthcare sector registered a 74% increase year-on-year, Check Point’s researchers found.

Here are some of the key trends identified in the report:

  • The boundaries between state-sponsored cyber operations and hacktivism have become increasingly blurred, as nation-states act with anonymity and impunity. Non-state affiliated hacktivist groups have become more organized and effective than ever before.
  • Ransomware operations are becoming more challenging to attribute and track, and existing protection mechanisms that are based on detecting encryption activity may become less effective. The focus will instead be on data wiping and exfiltration detection.
  • The number of attacks on cloud-based networks per organization has skyrocketed, with a 48% rise in 2022 compared to 2021. The shift in threat actors' preference to scan the IP range of cloud providers highlights their interest in gaining easy access to sensitive information and critical services.
  • To combat existing cybersecurity solutions, threat actors use built-in operating system capabilities and tools, which are already installed on target systems, and exploit popular IT management tools that are less likely to raise suspicion when detected.

Commenting on the research, Maya Horowitz, Check Point’s research vice president, said:

"The migration to the cloud has expanded the attack surface for cyber criminals, and the legitimate tools used by organizations will continue to be manipulated. The widening cyber-skills gap and the growing complexity of distributed networks make it a perfect storm for cyber criminals."

D. Howard Kass

D. Howard Kass is a contributing editor to MSSP Alert. He brings a career in journalism and market research to the role. He has served as CRN News Editor, Dataquest Channel Analyst, and West Coast Senior Contributing Editor at Channelnomics. As the CEO of The Viewpoint Group, he led groundbreaking market research.

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