Malware Trends According to Our Internet Security Report

Malware attacks continue to be the order of the day for businesses. The adaptability of threats and the fact that new attack models spread almost daily mean they are still very much a concern among cybersecurity professionals. 

The rise of malicious threat actors seems unstoppable. According to Gartner, by 2025, 45% of organizations worldwide will have experienced attacks on their software, which represents a staggering 300% growth since 2021. 

However, despite this surge, there are effective methods to prevent malware attacks. With the support of an up-to-date cybersecurity system supervised by a team of professionals, we can reduce the chances of suffering an attack. Keeping abreast of how malware attacks are evolving by detecting new habits and potential threats to cybersecurity is also a key part of protecting businesses effectively.

What are the recent trends in malware attacks? 

Most malware attacks are highly evasive, which makes them more dangerous and difficult to prevent and detect. This is why companies need to be aware of the latest features of these threats to shield their business more effectively. Seeking to promote better protection, we share below some malware-related trends set out in our latest Internet Security Report (ISR), which sheds more light on how these types of attacks tend to act. 

• Rise in network attacks: 

  According to our ISR, detection of network-based malware increased by 14% this past quarter. This data consolidates a sustained trend for this type of attack over several consecutive months, highlighting the sophistication of malware this year.

• Decline in attacks hidden behind encryption: 

  This type of attack decreased 48% at the close of last year. This is surprising considering the upward trend such attacks have experienced during the rest of the year. However, we still recommend analyzing encrypted traffic, as almost half of all malware arrives through this channel.

• Zero-day malware accounts for more than half of all malware: 

  Zero-day malware often exploits security holes that have not been patched or even detected, making this type of malware particularly dangerous and evasive. It is therefore no surprise that, at 69%, zero-day malware is the type of attack with the highest impact within its category.

In short, for the coming months, our experts at WatchGuard Threat Lab recommend companies consider these trends when reviewing their cybersecurity system and be mindful of the fact that malware attacks are increasingly sophisticated and evasive. To combat these threats, it is crucial to invest in a unified system that protects all security layers and is supervised by professionals who ensure it functions properly and can advise your business on how to strengthen cybersecurity. 

If you would like to learn more about malware attacks, check out the following posts on our blog: 

• There was a cyberattack every 39 seconds in 2023
• Ducktail malware: what is it and why are businesses so concerned about it?
• ChatGPT can create polymorphic malware, now what?