The number of cyberattacks is rapidly increasing. Find out how to protect personal data and avoid becoming a victim of a hacker.
Hackers Do Not Sleep And Increased Hacks In 2021 By 0.3%
Increasingly, the words appear in search queries: “Are cyberattacks increasing?” In the second quarter of this year, the number of cyberattacks in the world increased by 0.3%. At the same time, the share of attacks related to obtaining financial benefits from organizations increased by 16%. This is reported by data from a study by the IT company Positive Technologies.
In the research, scientists note the following cybercrime statistics: “The share of attacks aimed at compromising computers, servers, and network equipment increased from 71% to 87%, which is associated with an increase in the number of attacks using ransomware. The share of attacks motivated by financial gains also increased (from 43% to 59%). Most often, cybercriminals attacked medical and government institutions and the industrial sector.”
Here is the answer to the main question that worries all people: “How often is someone hacked?” Fraudsters break into someone else’s data every day and are increasingly improving their tools, as evidenced by this research.
Thanks to the study, it became known that the share of fraudulent software fraud increased from 63% to 76% compared to the first quarter. In 73% of cases, cybercriminals used malware to distribute ransomware, and in 16%, they used malware for remote control.
The share of attacks against industrial enterprises using malicious software has also increased to 73%. Compared to 2020, there has been an increase in the share of hacking from 29% to 34% in the second quarter of 2021. 80% of incidents in this industry involved malicious software.
The share of social engineering, when attackers use manipulation to obtain customer data and access their funds, also increased from 36% in the first quarter of 2021 to 53% in the second quarter. Ransomware remains the leader in malware. Programs block access to a computer system or prevent data from being read and then demand a ransom from the victim to restore the original state. The share of attacks using such programs in the quarter increased to 69% from 63%.
The researchers point out that the primary method of spreading malware in attacks against organizations is email (58%). The most popular ransomware programs are REvil, Avaddon, DoppelPaymer, PayOfGrief, Conti (Ryuk).
Cybercrime Statistics Over the Last 3 Years
To finally put an end to how badly people are exposed to cyber-attacks and whether they need to defend themselves, we will look at the cyber security statistics for the last three years:
- 2020. In 2020, 1,120 leaks and cyber-attacks were recorded. A total of 20,120,074,547 records were compromised. The number of incidents detected in the second half of the year speaks volumes to the impact COVID-19 has had on organizations. The number of hacked records increased by 50% compared to 2019.
- 2019. In 2019, the share of attacks aimed at stealing information increased to 61% in attacks against legal entities; up to 64% in attacks against individuals. This figure was half that in 2018.
- 2018. The number of unique cyber incidents increased by 32% in 2018 and exceeded the figures for 2017.
As you can see, regardless of the year, the growth of cyber attacks is increased. Therefore, each of you should think about the protection of personal data.
3 Best Ways To Protect Personal Data
Data breaches 2021 prove that businesses and the general public need to take care of personal data not to become victimized hackers. You don’t have to be an advanced programmer or pay big bucks to protect personal data – here are three of the best ways to secure information online.
Use VPN
Suppose you want an easy way to protect your privacy without your control. In this case, use a trustworthy VPN. This tool is responsible for ensuring that the data remains confidential – it does not let unauthorized users in, checks the traffic source and makes sure that the transmitted data does not leak out of the network in cleartext. To connect to VeePN, you need to install the required application and activate this function. When VPN is activated, the original IP address is no longer visible. Instead, the address of the virtual private network is displayed, and no spy can take over your data.
Disable GPS and Wi-Fi
When we use the web, we leave behind a digital footprint. Manufacturers of all sorts of software, search engines, social networks will immediately calculate your location, even if the GPS function is disabled. Hackers can quickly get the geolocation data of the Wi-Fi point to which you are connected. Therefore, it is worth turning off both GPS and Wi-Fi if you do not want your routes and specific addresses to be known.
Use Antivirus Software
The antivirus analyzes files and network elements for malicious activity, and if it is detected, it fixes the problem. Also, the program can protect against the main types of cyber attacks, the consequences of which can be theft of personal data.
Conclusion
The 21st century is the age of digital technologies. Hackers can be waiting for you anywhere: on websites, emails or games. Many of you are wondering: “What country gets hacked the most?” All countries become victims of hackers. Therefore, you are no exception. Take care of cyber security using these simple methods!
