The 2022 Falcon Over Watch Threat Hunting Report by CrowdStrike reveals recent trends in cybercrime from July 2021 to June 2022. According to the report, cybercrime campaigns have increased by 50%, with 43% focused on financial crime. The report categorizes cybercrime over the past year into eCrime (43%), which is financially motivated, Targeted (18%), involving specific destructive attacks like espionage, Hacktivist (1%), driven by a cause for publicity, and Unattributed (38%), where attacks couldn’t be categorized due to insufficient data. Although the proportions of attack types remain similar between 2021 and 2022, the total number of attack campaigns has risen by 50% in one year. The top three industries targeted by cybercrime are technology, telecommunications, and manufacturing, with academic and healthcare sectors becoming more targeted than the financial sector. Retail, government, pharmaceutical companies, and the media are also among the top 10 globally targeted industries. However, the industry breakdown changes when considering specific attack types. Technology remains the most targeted sector for eCrime, accounting for 21% of attacks, whereas telecommunications is not in the top five industries targeted by eCrime. Telecommunications, on the other hand, make up 37% of targeted intrusions, with technology in second place, making up 14% of these attacks.

Most attacks used stolen credentials rather than malware to gain network access. 

Between July 2021 and June 2022, OverWatch detected various threats. Surprisingly, 71% of these threats had no malware, indicating a decrease in the use of malware for attacks. Instead, attackers commonly exploit valid accounts by stealing credentials. This highlights the importance of strict policies regarding account creation, usage, and removal. To mitigate the risk of credential theft, it is advisable to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all user accounts, regardless of their level of privilege. Administrators should only use highly privileged accounts when necessary, avoiding their use for daily tasks.

At Sky Hawk Security, our passion is to offer straightforward and effective solutions to the ever-evolving challenges of cybersecurity. We understand that every moment counts when it comes to protecting your business from digital threats. That’s why we go above and beyond to create a customized cyber-vigilant environment tailored specifically to your needs. With our comprehensive consulting, cutting-edge technology, and expertly managed security services, you can rest easy knowing that your business and its sensitive data are in the safest of hands. Don’t wait until it’s too late – reach out to us today and take advantage of our complimentary cybersecurity health check.