The most authoritative cybercrime report – now with UK-specific data:
The last year has been a sad one for most of us. But not for hackers, who have enjoyed more success in their illegal activities than ever before.
The global SonicWall Threat Report, widely regarded as one of the world’s most trusted sources on global cybersecurity, shows 188 hacks for every blink of the eye over the last twelve months – a total of 5.6 billion malware attacks. It was a record year for nation-state hackers and criminals in the shadows thanks to the panic of COVID-19, and wholesale move to working from home.
For the UK (see slide 24), the news was slightly better than most. There were huge spikes of activity in the first three months of 2020, immediately after the first cases of the pandemic were reported, followed by a notable drop in the summer, a resurgence in September as schools returned, and finally, a tail off as we headed into the New Year. Overall, the UK was the 4th worst-affected country for ransomware in 2020, with 8.5 million attacks, making up 4.2% of all global attacks.
“2020 offered a perfect storm for cybercriminals and a critical tipping point for the cyber arms race,” said SonicWall President and CEO Bill Conner. “The pandemic — along with remote work, a charged US political climate, and record prices of cryptocurrency drove the effectiveness and volume of cyberattacks to new highs. This latest threat intelligence offers a look at how cybercriminals shifted and refined their tactics, painting a picture of the uncertain future that lies ahead.”
For more information and exclusive analysis of this report please contact the team at Positive via moc.g1680406172nitek1680406172ramev1680406172itiso1680406172p@lla1680406172wcino1680406172s1680406172.
