Cyber Threats Surge in 2024: Europe Hardest Hit
2024 saw a significant rise in cyber threats, with geopolitical instability driving an increase in state-backed advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks and hacktivism. Europe was particularly hard hit, with over 200,000 fraudulent resources detected, a 22% year-on-year increase. Phishing remained the most common initial access vector, despite newer techniques like deepfakes.
The increase in APT attacks was most pronounced in the government and military sectors, with manufacturing following closely. Over 6.4 billion data strings, including email addresses, passwords, and financial data, were leaked globally. The dark web economy thrived, with cybercriminals exploiting vulnerabilities and instability.
Initial access brokers (IABs) operations increased by 15% annually, with Europe and North America seeing significant rises. State-sponsored APT incidents surged by 58% annually, with Europe experiencing the biggest increase. Ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) activity also rose, with more ads seeking affiliates and data leak victims.
The relentless expansion of the dark web economy and the surge in state-sponsored APT incidents highlight the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures. As cyber threats evolve and intensify, governments, businesses, and individuals must remain vigilant and adapt their defenses accordingly.
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