Year-over-year jump in ransomware attacks greater than the last five years combined, as latest report highlights a banner year in cybersecurity.
What you need to know:
The 2022 DBIR – marking its 15th anniversary – analyzed 23,896 security incidents, of which 5,212 were confirmed breaches
Year over year, ransomware attacks increased by 13%, a bigger jump than the last 5 years combined
Approximately 4 out of 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.
Human element involved in 82% of all violations analyzed last year
BASKING RIDGE, NJ – The Verizon Business 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR 2022) examines an unprecedented year in cybersecurity history and sheds light on some of the key issues impacting the international cybersecurity landscape.
Of particular concern is the alarming rise in ransomware instagram data breaches, which increased by 13% in a single year – representing a bigger jump than the last 5 years combined. As criminals seek 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. Approximately 4 out of 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.
Rising geopolitical tensions are also driving greater sophistication, visibility, and awareness of nation-state-affiliated cyberattacks.
“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 president of Verizon. “As we continue to accelerate toward an increasingly digitized world, effective technology solutions, strong security frameworks and an increased focus on education will all play their part in ensuring businesses remain safe and customers protected.”
For many businesses, the past year has also been dominated by supply chain issues, and this trend has been reflected across the cybersecurity landscape. 62 percent of system intrusion incidents occurred through an organization’s partner. Compromising the right partner is a force multiplier for cybercriminals and highlights the challenges 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 organization’s cybersecurity defenses. 25% of total breaches in the 2022 report were the result of social engineering attacks, and when you add in human error and misuse of privilege, the human element accounts for 82% of breaches analyzed last year.
Dave Hylender, lead author of the DBIR, said: “As it turns 15, the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report remains the leading authority in 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 most important factor in determining success.”