In 2021, there was a 50 per cent jump in cyberattacks on corporate networks compared to 2020, according to researchers. According to a report from the cyber threat intelligence firm Check Point Research (CPR), from mid-2020 to throughout 2021, there was a significantly visible upwards trend in the number of cyber-attacks.
The trend had reached an all-time high by the end of the year. In Q4 of 2021 there was an all-time peak in weekly cyber-attacks per organisation, with over 900 such attacks witnessed per organisation.
Education and research most attacked sector
According to Check Point Research, education and research was the sector that experienced the highest volume of attacks in 2021, with an average of 1,605 attacks per organisation every week. This was a 75 per cent increase from 2020.
The other most attacked sectors were the government/military sector, which had 1,136 attacks per week with a 47 per cent increase from 2020; and the communications industry which had 1,079 attacks weekly per organisation with a 51 per cent jump over 2020.
Hardware vendor, transportation and retail/wholesale industries were the least attacked in 2021, with less than 550 attacks every week per organisation on average, as per statistics provided by Check Point Research (CPR).
Africa most attacked region
Africa experienced the highest volume of attacks in 2021, with an average of 1,582 weekly attacks per organisation. This represents a 13 per cent increase from 2020.
Following Africa, Asia-Pacific (APAC) was the region that saw the most number of cyber attacks with an average of 1,353 weekly attacks per organisation. This was a 25 per cent jump over 2020.
Latin America saw 1,118 attacks weekly which was a 38 per cent jump over 2020. Europe witnessed 670 attacks weekly, a 68 per cent jump over the previous year. While North America suffered 503 weekly attacks per organization, a 61 per cent jump over 2020.
According to Check Point Research, India witnessed 1,803 cyber-attacks weekly per organisation on average in 2021. This was a 25 per cent jump over 2020.
Also Read: How companies can shield themselves from growing cyber menace