India among the countries most targeted by significant cyber attacks
Published on : Tuesday 14-07-2020
Significant cyber attacks are defined as cyber attacks on a countrys government agencies, defense and high-tech companies.
The prevalence and severity of cyber attacks are increasing at an alarming rate every year. So much so, that statistics from Cybersecurity Ventures estimate that cybercrime will cost the global economy a colossal $6 trillion per year by 2021. Interested in cyber security, Specops Software (https://specopssoft.com/) analysed the latest data from Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to discover which countries across the world have experienced the most cyber attacks classified as significant between May 2006 – June 2020. Significant cyber attacks are defined as cyber attacks on a country’s government agencies, defense and high-tech companies, or economic crimes with losses equating to more than a million dollars. Specops Software found that America has been victim to the most cyber attacks categorised as significant (156) between May 2006 – June 2020. The equivalent of 11 very serious cyber attacks each year since 2006. One of the most recent (May 2020) breaches aimed towards the USA has been brought to light by the National Security Agency (NSA), who found that Russian hackers are exploiting a bug in a commonly used email server to infiltrate sensitive data from American organisations.
In second position is the United Kingdom. The UK has seen 47 cyber attacks categorised as significant since May 2006 to June 2020. One of the 47 incidents was the large-scale cyber attack deployed across the Labour Party’s digital platforms during the 2019 general election.
Falling prey to 23 significant cyber attacks, rising powerhouse India ranks in third place. In the latest cyber-attack, in June 2020, the country experienced a high-profile attack where malware was deployed against nine human rights activists to log their keystrokes, record their audio, and steal their personal credentials.
Meanwhile, Germany is in fourth spot, having faced 21 substantial cyber attacks during May 2006 – June 2020. Australia is in sixth place with 16 momentous cyber attacks recorded.
Interestingly, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia have each experienced the same number (15) of significant cyber attacks between May 2006 and June 2020.
On the other end, North Korea has only been hit by five significant cyber attacks. Faring much better than neighbouring South Korea, who have suffered from 18 major cyber attacks.
Darren James, a Cyber Security Expert from Specops Software commented: “No one can rest on their laurels when it comes to cyber security. This research highlights the frequency of cyber attacks, which have devastatingly affected key political, social and economic institutions within different countries. Whilst some countries have had to deal with more cyber attacks classified as significant as others, it’s an important reminder for those in notable positions of power the role they can play in providing the public sufficient and continual governance on what online best practices they can implement to prevent their IT estate from being exploited by opportunistic cyber criminals.”
Specops Software’s top three tips for achieving high cyber security standards:
· Stay Up to Date – Keep anti-virus software up-to-date, apply the latest security patches and periodically change passwords (i.e., at least once a month) across your IT estate.
· Assess IT Ecosystem – If you have the knowledge and capabilities to do so, then carry out a regular diagnostic of your IT systems to identify any vulnerabilities that could be targeted and exposed.
· Provide Guidance – If you own a business or are a key decision maker in a company, then take the initiative to create a formal document which firmly states the company’s policies on cyber security. Clearly establishing what individuals can and cannot do with the company’s IT systems/networks/devices.
All data for the research collated and analysed on 07/07/2020 from Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). For full details into the research, please see: https://specopssoft.com/blog/countries-experiencing-significant-cyber-attacks/
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