The 2018 Internet Security Threat Report from Symantec, issued in March, reveals the latest trends and cyber security attack statistics. The report notes that innovation, organization and sophistication are the tools cyber attackers use as they work harder and more efficiently to uncover and exploit new vulnerabilities.
Among the study’s takeaways…
- IoT attacks have increased by 600%
- Cryptojacking (stealth crypto currency mining) has increased by 8500%
- Ransomware has shifted from big score to commodity
- Malware implants have grown by 200%
- Mobile malware variants have increased by 54%
With regard to cryptojacking, Symantec says that with only a couple lines of code delivered via browser, cyber criminals can harness desktop processing power and cloud CPU usage to mine crypto currencies. Coin mining slows devices and overheats batteries. For enterprises, coin miners put corporate networks at risk of shutdown and inflate cloud CPU usage, adding cost.
In 2017, the average ransom demand fell to $522, signaling the commoditization of ransomware. Symantec notes that ransomware has also became a favorite tool of targeted attack groups that employ it as a decoy and tool of disruption, a perfect cover for other forms of attack.
Another trend noted by Symantec is that of hijacking legitimate software updates, which provides attackers with an entry point for compromising well-guarded networks. The Petya outbreak in 2017 was the most publicized example of this type of attack. By targeting legitimate accounting software as the point of entry, Petya spread across corporate networks across the globe.
Mobile threats continue to grow, mostly due to the huge number of unpatched devices. With Android devices, for example, Symantec found that only 20% are running the newest operating system version, and only 2.3% are on the latest minor release.
Download the 2018 Internet Security Threat Report
According to the report, targeted attack groups are on the rise and organizations in the U.S. is their biggest target. Last year, 71% of attacks began with spear phishing. This is a stark reminder that the human element continues to be the weak link that can negate huge investments in enterprise security infrastructure.
No matter what type or size company you have, DataLink has security solutions to help minimize opportunities for cyber attacks that can cripple your business. Contact us today: (410) 729-0440 | Email
