Atlanta, Orlando Most Malware-Infected US Cities in First Half of 2018 -

Atlanta (still cleaning up from a massive ransomware attack) ranked first among the most malware-infected U.S. cities in the first six months of 2018, according to research conducted by EnigmaSoft. The ranking comes after the Atlanta government suffered a ransomware attack that affected the city's network infrastructure in March.

Other notable findings from the EnigmaSoft research included:

Orlando ranked second among the most malware-infected U.S. cities, followed by Denver, St. Louis and Tampa.

Colorado ranked first among the most infected U.S. states, followed by New Hampshire, Virginia, New Jersey and Oregon.

Wednesday ranked first in terms of when infections are most likely to occur during the week. Meanwhile, infections are least likely to occur on Sundays.

Malware infections range from potentially unwanted programs to "nuisanceware" that slows down computers or changes computer settings, EnigmaSoft indicated. However, organizations that understand the dangers associated with infections and other cyberattacks can plan accordingly.

Tips to Address Malware Infections

EnigmaSoft offered the following tips to help organizations address malware infections and other cyberattacks:

Back up your data regularly. Use physical and cloud backups; that way, an organization can minimize the risk of data loss following a cyberattack.

Install software updates. Set up automatic software updates to protect an organization's computers against evolving cyberattacks.

Use anti-malware software. Leverage anti-malware software that can quickly identify and eliminate the nasty code before it spreads across an organization's network.

Watch out for social engineering attacks. Teach employees about phishing and other social engineering attacks, how these attacks work and what to do if they encounter cyberattacks in emails or social media messages.

It is crucial for organizations to remain vigilant to minimize the impact of malware infections and other cyberattacks, EnigmaSoft spokesperson Ryan Gerding said. If organizations devote time and resources to prepare for cyberattacks, they could stop these attacks before they happen.

Malware Infections Expected to Drive the Global Cybersecurity Market's Growth

Global spending on cybersecurity products and services is expected to surpass $1 trillion between 2017 and 2021, according to industry analyst Cybersecurity Ventures. In addition, a rise in malware and other cybercrime is one of the primary factors that could lead many organizations to invest in cybersecurity products and services in the years to come.

MSSPs that add anti-malware offerings to their portfolios could capitalize on the increasing demand for cybersecurity products and services. They also can provide cybersecurity training and insights to help organizations prevent infections and other cyberattacks.