5.2 attacks per minute detected between
January and March 2024
WATERLOO, ON, June 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB;
TSX: BB) today released its latest Global Threat Intelligence
Report, revealing that BlackBerry® cybersecurity solutions detected
and stopped 3.1 million cyberattacks (37,000 per day) in the first
quarter of 2024. Between January and March
2024, BlackBerry detected 630,000 malicious hashes,
representing a 40 percent increase from its previous reporting
period. Sixty percent of attacks targeting industry were directed
at critical infrastructure, including government, healthcare,
financial, and communication industries, of which 40 percent
targeted the financial sector.
"Each iteration of this report highlights startling new trends:
novel malware is growing with no signs of stopping, and threat
actors are highly motivated, be it for financial gain or to create
chaos," said Ismael Valenzuela, Vice
President of Threat Research and Intelligence at BlackBerry. "In a
year where over 50 countries are holding elections, geopolitical
tensions are at an all-time high, and every nation will soon be
fixated on the Olympic Games, the threat landscape can feel
overwhelming to navigate. This report provides a snapshot of where
threat actors are looking, how they are operating, and what we can
expect in the coming months so defenders can be one step
ahead."
Highlights from the latest BlackBerry Global Threat Intelligence
Report include:
- The United States Severely Outnumbers the World in
Cyberattacks: According to our internal telemetry, 82 percent
of cyberattacks targeted the U.S. during this reporting period.
Fifty-four percent of those attacks contained unique (new) malware,
meaning attacks contained malware that was previously not
observed.
- Attacks Based on Novel Malware Increased by 40 Percent Per
Minute: BlackBerry observed a 40 percent per-minute increase in
novel hashes (unique malware), compared to the previous reporting
period. This represents an average of 7,500 unique malware samples
per day targeting our customer base, or 5.2 per minute.
- Commercial Enterprise Threats Slowly but Surely Rise: 36
percent of all threats targeted commercial enterprises (including
retail, manufacturing, automotive and professional services), a
three percent increase from the last reporting period. Yet, this
sector saw a 10 percent jump in instances of new malware.
Commercial enterprise remains a target for threat actors as they
grow more sophisticated, often using social engineering to obtain
account credentials and distribute malware.
- CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) are Rapidly
Weaponized in All Forms of Malware – Especially Ransomware and
Infostealers: CVEs provide a framework for identifying,
standardizing and publicizing known security vulnerabilities and
exposures. Fifty six percent of the 8,900 CVEs reported during this
reporting period were given a severity score of seven out of a
possible 10. This represents a three percent increase from the
previous reporting period.
- Despite Takedowns, Ransomware Groups Wreak Havoc:
Globally, the top three ransomware groups active this period were
LockBit, Hunters International, and 8Base.
These threats will continue to be underpinned by a politically
charged year globally, with disinformation and deepfake campaigns
continuing to be pervasive across social media. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the continuing conflict in the
Middle East, and global elections
will be the dominant variables in how threat actors select their
targets and methodologies.
Based on its data analysis, the BlackBerry Threat Intelligence
and Research team predicts that threat actors will continue to take
extensive measures to carefully target their victims. A rise in new
ransomware and infostealers indicates that private data will
continue to be highly sought after by threat actors, where sectors
like healthcare and financial services will be top targets for
attack.
Download a copy of BlackBerry's Global Threat Intelligence
Report at BlackBerry.com, and register to attend the Global Threat
Intelligence Report Deep Dive webinar on Wednesday, June 26th at 11:00 am EDT to discover more.
About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB)
provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises
and governments around the world. The company's software powers
over 235M vehicles. Based in
Waterloo, Ontario, the company
leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions
in the areas of cybersecurity, safety, and data privacy solutions,
and is a leader in the areas of endpoint management, endpoint
security, encryption, and embedded systems. BlackBerry's vision is
clear - to secure a connected future you can trust.
For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow
@BlackBerry.
Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and
EMBLEM Design, are the trademarks or registered trademarks of
BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are
expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any
third-party products or services.
Media Contacts:
BlackBerry Media Relations
+1 (519) 597-7273
mediarelations@BlackBerry.com
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SOURCE BlackBerry Limited