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Global attack attempts increase (+20%) as threat actors diversify their tactics – attacks increase worldwide
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Ransomware increases throughout the year (+27% in 2H) with a peak during the summer months (+37%)
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Total cryptojacking volume – spikes of +659% globally
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IoT exploits (+15%) and encrypted threats (+117%) also on the rise
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SonicWall discovered 293,989 ‘never-before-seen’ malware variants, 805 per day
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – February 22, 2024 – SonicWall today released the annual SonicWall Cyber Threat Report 2024, which exposes all types of cyber behaviors and trends of digital adversaries to help partners create solutions based on data to ensure customer safety. 2023 has proven to be a year of volatile, adaptive and creative digital threats, as threat actors continue to carry out their attacks relentlessly, leaving organizations searching for another level of defense.
Organizations are increasingly turning to managed service providers (MSPs) to alleviate pressure on IT departments. Managed services have emerged as a game-changing solution, providing organizations with an additional layer of human defense, reducing alert fatigue and freeing up valuable resources and time for critical business functions.
“The SonicWall 2024 Threat Report reveals that the threat landscape continues to grow in complexity and depth as threat actors adopt new tactics and platforms,” said
Bob VanKirk, President and CEO of SonicWall. “It has become clear that conventional network security is not enough. Security professionals need help confronting the overwhelming volume of cyberattacks and protecting themselves from the endpoint to the cloud. Especially as the cloud becomes an indispensable reality for businesses, the role of MSPs shifts from technical maintenance to raising the bar in terms of security for its customers. »
The overall number of attacks increased (+20%), totaling over a billion attempts compared to the same period last year. The global volume of cryptojacking increased by 659% and the volume of encrypted threats by 117%, as threat actors opted for stealthier, less risky means of malicious activity. The data illustrates the stubborn and evolving state of cyber threats, highlighting the need for businesses to continually adapt their security strategies, and inspires organizations to rely on MSPs to help them quickly identify and remediate threats.
Evolved and diversified attack vector
“When it comes to protecting your most valuable assets, organizations must remain vigilant, deploy proactive cybersecurity measures and focus on the threats that really matter,” said
Michael Crean, executive vice president of managed security services at SonicWall. “Today’s organizations demand an integrated approach to managed end-to-end threat protection, enabling MSPs to help their clients navigate the cybersecurity landscape with confidence and resilience, giving them an edge distinct competitiveness.
Cybercriminals and nation states are adapting their capabilities to access critical infrastructure, making the threat landscape even more complex and forcing organizations to reconsider their security needs. The second half of 2023 saw a surge in ransomware activity (+27%) and various other attacks trended upwards each year globally, including IoT exploits (+15%). %), intrusion attempts (+20%) and encrypted threats (+117%).
“In an era where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated, MSPs are the frontline defense to protect their customers and help them spend more time managing their business needs,” said
CTO of Compass MSP and long-time SonicWall partner, Alex Tsukanov. “New threats emerge every day, and MSPs use their threat intelligence to develop a real plan with the capabilities needed to keep our customers safe, like the one found in the SonicWall Threat Report. »
“The threat landscape continues to expand and threat actors continue to evolve their tactics and exploit every available tool to carry out their nefarious actions,” said
Debasish Mukherjee, Vice President of Regional Sales, Asia Pacific Japan at SonicWall. “SonicWall continues to release the Cyber Threat Report to provide threat intelligence, not only to provide actionable insights, but also to drive our roadmap and build solutions that help our partners. As the likelihood of being targeted continues to increase, yesterday’s protections are no longer enough. ”
From SMEs to businesses – The rise continues
As ransomware continues to pose a threat, threat researchers at SonicWall Capture Labs expect a broader set of actions in 2024, specifically targeting SMBs, governments, and enterprises. SonicWall sensors identify and prevent more than 19,000 threats per day.
The SonicWall Cyber Threat 2024 report provides insight into a range of threats, including:
- Malware – Total global malware volume increased by 11% in 2023, with Latin America and the United States seeing the largest increases – (+30%) and (+15%) respectively. Surprisingly, Europe saw a decline (-2%), with the UK seeing the largest decline of -28%.
- Ransomware – Overall ransomware numbers saw an annual decline of -36%, the summer months and second half suggest a strong rebound, as they climbed +37% in the summer months compared to the same period Last year.
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IoT exploitation
– Global volume increased by 15%, as connected devices continue to rapidly multiply and threat actors target weak entry points as potential attack vectors in organizations. - Encrypted threats – Another more discreet approach taken by bad actors over the last year has been encrypted threats, which saw a spike (+117%) globally.
Patented RTDMI discovered over 294,000 “never before” malware variants
SonicWall’s patented real-time memory in-depth inspectionTM (RTDMITM) identified a total of 293,989 never-before-seen malware variants in 2023. The threat landscape remains complex, with nearly 800 new variant strains discovered every day.
To learn more about SonicWall and get the full SonicWall 2024 Cyber Threat Report, please visit
www.sonicwall.com/threatreport.
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
