Ransomware threat rises: Verizon 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report
May 23 2022 - 11:13PM
The Verizon Business 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report (2022
DBIR) examines an unprecedented year in cybersecurity history, and
sheds light on some of the leading issues affecting the
international cybersecurity landscape.
Of particular concern is the alarming rise in ransomware
breaches, which increased by 13 percent in a single year -
representing a jump greater than the past 5 years combined. As
criminals look to leverage increasingly sophisticated forms of
malware, it is ransomware that continues to prove particularly
successful in exploiting and monetizing illegal access to private
information.
Organized crime also continues to be a pervasive force in the
world of cybersecurity. Roughly 4 in 5 breaches can be attributed
to organized crime - with external actors approximately 4 times
more likely to cause breaches in an organization than internal
actors.
Heightened geopolitical tensions are also driving increased
sophistication, visibility, and awareness around nation-state
affiliated cyber attacks.
“Over the past few years, the pandemic has exposed a number of
critical issues that businesses have been forced to navigate in
real-time. But nowhere is the need to adapt more compelling than in
the world of cybersecurity,” said Hans Vestberg, CEO and Chairman,
Verizon. “As we continue to accelerate toward an increasingly
digitized world, effective technological solutions, strong security
frameworks, and an increased focus on education will all play their
part in ensuring that businesses remain secure, and customers
protected.”
For many businesses, the past year has also been dominated by
supply chain issues, and this trend was also reflected across the
cybersecurity landscape. 62 percent of System Intrusion incidents
came through an organization’s partner. Compromising the right
partner is a force multiplier for cybercriminals, and highlights
the difficulties that many organizations face in securing their
supply chain.
In a finding that exposes the cost of human influence, people
remain - by far - the weakest link in an organizations’
cybersecurity defenses. 25 percent of total breaches in the 2022
report were the result of social engineering attacks, and when you
add human errors and misuse of privilege, the human element
accounts for 82 percent of analyzed breaches over the past
year.
Dave Hylender, Lead Author of the DBIR, comments, “Entering its
15th year, Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report remains the
leading authority on assessing the many cybersecurity threats that
organizations continue to face. And while the report has evolved,
the fundamentals of security remain the same. Assess your exposure,
mitigate your risk, and take appropriate action. As is often the
case, getting the basics right is the single most important factor
in determining success.”
About the DBIR
The 2022 DBIR - its 15th edition - analyzed 23,896
security incidents, of which 5,212 were confirmed breaches. Data
was collected from 87 contributors, both domestic and
international, ranging from law enforcement agencies to forensic
and law firms to CERTs and ISACs, and government agencies from
several countries.
The complete 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report
as well as Executive Summary is available on the DBIR resource
page.
Visit the DBIR landing page for a
comprehensive list of all our DBIR webinars and events.
Media contact:Timo
Burbidgetimo.burbidge@uk.verizon.com
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