20% jump in ransomware globally, 109% spike in United States; 24% drop in malware attacks worldwide; 7% of phishing attacks capitalized on COVID-19 pandemic; 176% increase in malicious Microsoft Office file types; 23% of malware attacks leveraged non-standards ports; 50% rise of IoT malware attacks; Report analyzes threat intelligence data gathered from 1.1 million sensors in over 215 countries and territories
The SonicWall Capture Labs threat research team published the mid-year update to the 2020 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report, highlighting increases in ransomware, opportunistic use of COVID-19 pandemic, systemic weaknesses and growing reliance on Microsoft Office files by cybercriminals.
“Cybercriminals can be resourceful, often setting traps to take advantage of people’s kindness during a natural disaster, panic throughout a crisis and trust in systems used in everyday life,” said SonicWall President and CEO Bill Conner. “This latest cyber threat data shows that cybercriminals continue to morph their tactics to sway the odds in their favor during uncertain times. With everyone more remote and mobile than ever before, businesses are highly exposed and the cybercriminal industry is very aware of that. It’s imperative that organizations move away from makeshift or traditional security strategies and realize this new business normal is no longer new.”
During the first half of 2020, global malware attacks fell from 4.8 billion to 3.2 billion (-24%) over 2019’s mid-year total. This drop is the continuation of a downward trend that began last November.
There are regional differences in both the amount of malware and the percentage change year over year, highlighting shifting cybercriminal focus. For example, the United States (-24%), United Kingdom (-27%), Germany (-60%) and India (-64%) all experienced reduced malware volume. Less malware doesn’t necessarily mean a safer world; ransomware has seen a corresponding jump over the same time period.
Despite the global decline of malware volume, ransomware continues to be the most concerning threat to corporations and the preferred tool for cybercriminals, increasing a staggering 20% (121.4 million) globally in the first half of 2020.
“Remote and mobile workforces are at a turning point on the subject of security,” said Chad Sweet, Founder and CEO The Chertoff Group. “It has never been more prevalent for enterprises and organizations to prioritize online security and make what used to be a luxury, a secured and protected necessity.”
Comparatively, the U.S. and U.K. are facing different odds. SonicWall Capture Labs threat researchers logged 79.9 million ransomware attacks (+109%) in the U.S. and 5.9 million ransomware attacks (-6%) in the U.K. — trends that continue to ebb and flow based on the behaviors of agile cybercriminal networks.
