Netskope Security Cloud platform users were most commonly targeted by criminal adversaries in the first nine months of 2023, according to the company's Cloud and Threat Report.
Here are the takeaways from the report include:
Spear-Phishing Is the Top Technique Used by Criminal Adversaries
To date in 2023, spear-phishing links and attachments were the most popular techniques for criminal adversaries to gain initial access to victims' systems and data, Netskope stated. These adversaries were three times more successful at tricking victims into downloading spear-phishing attachments in comparison to the end of 2022.
Furthermore, criminal adversaries continue to use emails to attack victims, Netskope indicated. The success rate of email-based attacks is low due to advanced anti-phishing filters and user awareness. But criminal adversaries have been successful launching attacks against personal email accounts. This is reflected in the fact that Netskope found that 16 times as many users have attempted to download a phishing attachment from a personal webmail app compared to managed organization webmail apps.
Also, cloud apps deliver 55% of malware that users attempted to download, Netskope reported. As such, cloud apps ranked first among the vehicles used to successfully execute malware attacks.
Tips for Organizations to Defend Against Pervasive Cybercrime Techniques
Netskope recommends that organizations evaluate their defenses to figure out how their cybersecurity strategy needs to evolve. It also provides the following tips to defend against spear-phishing and other cybercrime techniques:
MSSPs can share these tips with their customers. They can also provide security services to help their customers keep pace with current and emerging threats.
