Checkpoint Cyber Attack Trends Mid-Year Report 2018.

Following are main findings of latest CheckPoint Cyber Attack Trends: Mid-Year Report 2018:

• A 100% increase in organizations who reported being hit by cryptomining malware which hijacked CPU power in 1H:18 vs 2H:17;
• The three most prevalent exploits in 1H:18 were each cryptominers;
• New techniques are evolving to attack cloud storage services; and
• Multi-platform attacks increased, targeting consumer mobile and non-Windows devices.

Sean Newman, Director Product Management at Corero Network Security:

“The latest threat report on the block, this time from Check Point, shows no sign of abatement when it comes to botnets being a tool of choice for cybercriminal campaigns.  The sophistication of the latest variants, being able to self-propagate, stay hidden, and be armed with different attack payloads, depending on the particular agenda, makes them a powerful cyber-weapon.  And, the quantity of, and ease with which, IoT devices can be acquired into these botnets explains why they remain so popular.

“While the report highlights the recent rise in popularity of crypto-currency mining as a focus for the cyber-criminals, we shouldn’t forget it’s equally possible that crippling DDoS attacks can be launched using these botnets and that organisations which rely on their online availability shouldn’t be complacent when it comes to ensuring they are properly protected.”