IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index report has revealed that the UK was the most attacked country in Europe in 2022, accounting for 43% of cases.
The most-attacked industries were reported to be professional services, consumer services, and finance and insurance – each ranked 25% of reports.
Exploitation of system vulnerabilities, including backdoor access, increased over the past 12 months, accounting for 21% of cases.
Remote access tools – linked to the increase in remote work for many organisations – accounted for 10% of these reports.
Some good news is that the frequency of spear phishing attacks appears to have decreased, as these attacks accounted for 14% of all incidents, compared to 42% in 2021.
IBM suggests that the reduction of successful spear phishing attacks may be linked to better user awareness, increased email security, and better online defences to prevent malware or other malicious viruses from infecting systems.
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The NEBRC is a non-profit organisation that seeks to educate, inform, and support businesses across the UK on how to stay safe online through strong cyber security practices.