Cyberattacks On Government Agencies And Public Services Sector Surge By 40% In 90 Days: Report
A latest report has revealed a troubling surge in cyberattacks targeting government agencies and the public services sector. The report highlights a staggering 40 per cent increase in such attacks within the past 90 days, putting critical infrastructure and essential services at risk.
BlackBerry Quarterly Global Threat Intelligence Report findings indicate that threat actors are rapidly diversifying their methods, deploying an average of 1.7 new malware samples per minute. This represents a 13 per cent increase from the previous reporting period, underscoring the need for stronger defensive controls.
The report further delves into specific sectors that are heavily targeted by cybercriminals. Healthcare and financial services industries emerged as the primary targets. The convergence of valuable data and critical services in the healthcare sector makes it an attractive prospect for malicious actors. Over the same 90-day period, BlackBerry's cybersecurity solutions stopped more than 109,922 attacks in the healthcare sector alone.
The financial services industry is grappling with persistent threats, particularly from smartphone-centric commodity malware and ransomware attacks. The rise of mobile banking malware compounds the risks, taking advantage of the growing trend of digital banking services.
The report stresses the importance of safeguarding patient data and ensuring the continuity of essential medical services in the healthcare sector. It also calls for increased vigilance and proactive cybersecurity measures within the financial services industry to protect against evolving cyber threats.
“Governments and public services, such as public transit, electricity, water services, schools, and non-profit organisations, stand as unfortunate bullseyes for cybercriminals and other threat actors, whose attacks seek to wreak maximum havoc and who often times face very little resistance,” said Ismael Valenzuela, Vice President of Threat Research and Intelligence at BlackBerry.
