The SonicWall agency delivers a panorama of cybersecurity at the global level as the first half of 2022 has just ended.
Despite several surprises, Europe remains one of the major targets of web pirates.
When malware takes precedence over ransomware
Ransomware is sadly part of daily tech news, and for good reason, as SonicWall notes in its report, no less than 623,000 specimens were identified for the year 2021 alone. Their decrease of 23% in the first half of 2022 by compared to the balance sheet of the previous year is mainly due to the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In fact, as SonicWall justifies, many Russian hackers see their action limited by the ongoing war, which should not prevent a return to the forefront of ransomware in the years to come according to the firm.
Malware, meanwhile, is on the rise for the first time in many years. There are 11% more viruses in the first half of 2022 compared to the whole of 2021, and because one surprise calls for another, the targets have also changed.
First, the regular locations of cybercrime activity in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom are seeing a noticeable decline. While the country of Uncle Sam is normally one of the most targeted in the world by ransomware, attacks using this means have decreased by 42% in the last six months compared to 2021. Europe is experiencing a 63% increase, and targeting Russian activity in this area is not an increase factor to be ruled out.
The need to protect connected objects
If viruses are increasing, it is also because they are diversifying and new targets are multiplying. For example, connected objects, which are particularly vulnerable because they are rarely protected by an antivirus solution, are on the front line. The data they contain about their users is of interest to hackers. Thus, more than 57 million viruses targeting the Internet of Things are in circulation, an increase of 77% between 2021 and the first half of 2022.
Encrypted threats have increased by 132% in the last six months compared to the whole of 2021, while technology Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RDTMI), launched in 2018 by SonicWall, is more than in demand. In less than five years, the virus variants discovered have increased by 2078%, with 270,000 new cases recorded between the first half of 2021 and 2022 alone (+45%). In other words, it is better to learn how to protect yourself.
Source : SonicWall Report
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