Scary Cybersecurity Statistics
Cybersecurity is crucial for all business, institutions and organisations nowadays, here’s why:
1. A cyber attack happens every 39 seconds.
The Clark School at the University of Maryland conducted a study that found that computers are hacked 2,244 times a day, on average. The study identified that a computer is attacked by cyber criminals every 39 seconds. Further, the cybersecurity stats section revealed which usernames and passwords are non-secure.
2. 94% of malware attacks are carried out through email.
In its 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report, Verizon revealed that email was (and still is) the top entry point of malware attacks. Sufficient amounts of data on malware were carefully analysed, and it was concluded that more than 90% of the attacks had been carried out through email channels.
3. Human error is the primary cause of cybersecurity breaches, accounting for 95% of all data breaches.
Human error in digital security is any unintentional action (or lack of action) by a user leading to a security breach. Using generic or weak passwords and downloading malicious attachments are just some of the examples of these actions. Therefore, the strongest weapon to combat these hacking methods is spreading awareness about the importance of practicing digital hygiene.
4. There’s an average fall of 7.27% in stock prices following a breach incident.
Analysis of the closing share prices of 28 New York Stock Exchange-listed companies showed that these companies hit the lowest point nearly 14 market days after a breach incident. On average, their share prices fell 7.27%.
5. A 300% rise in cyber crime was reported following the COVID-19 outbreak.
As more employees have moved their work from office settings to their homes due to COVID-19, hackers took advantage of the opportunity to threaten highly vulnerable networks. Accordingly, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) observed a skyrocketing of reported cyber crimes since the outbreak of coronavirus.
The department’s record reveals that detecting cyber attacks in 2020 has become more challenging since there are now between 3,000 and 4,000 complaints per day. In comparison, before the outbreak, the IC3 received 1,000 complaints per day.
6. Cyber attacks against banks rose by 238% due to COVID-19.
Along with the quick spread of coronavirus across the globe earlier this year, the skyrocketing of cyber attacks took place, particularly between the months of February and April. Modern Bank Heists survey found that 80% of the firms polled said they experienced more cyber threats over the past 12 months.
7. In 2019, the healthcare industry recorded a 75% climb in ransomware attacks.
The figure only included those attacks that were reported to the public, which means the number could be even higher. The cyber crime statistics 2019 tackle the internet security aspects of various healthcare institutions, such as hospitals, health facilities, doctors’ offices, medical consultants, and many more. These organizations continue to be a favorite of ransomware attacks in recent years.