Stockholm, Feb. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cybercriminals can now target more organizations by exploiting publicly exposed vulnerabilities to a greater extent than before. The cybersecurity company Truesec warns that cyber attacks are rapidly executed, and that threat actors can gain complete control of an organization’s network in less than 24 hours.

Truesec’s annual Threat Intelligence Report for 2022 shows a sharp increase in the number of cyber attacks against organizations in Scandinavia and worldwide. Cybercriminals are acting faster and using constantly evolving tactics to achieve their goals. The speed of the attacks, from the initial foothold to when the attackers reach their goal, has increased. In less than 24 hours after the initial breach, threat actors can obtain full administrative privileges, which means complete control over the victim’s network and IT infrastructure.

Some findings from the analysis of the cyber threat landscape:

• Ransomware remains the most significant and serious threat to medium and large companies. The number of ransomware attacks in 2021 increased by 40% compared to 2020.
• The increase in cyber attacks is due to the fact threat actors are now using automated tools that enable quicker attacks. Additionally, they recruit less-skilled affiliates who only need to follow ready-made instruction manuals to act.
• Most intrusions 2021 began with threat actors exploiting known vulnerabilities in public-facing systems. Cybercriminals can quickly leverage such exploits in mass attacks against unpatched systems.

About Truesec’s “Threat Intelligence Report 2022”

Truesec’s annual Threat Intelligence Report is based on proprietary sources and experience from actual incidents and prevented cyber breaches combined with information from external sources, including partners and law enforcement agencies. All handled cyber threats and data breaches in 2021 have been analyzed to determine the root causes, what could have prevented the intrusions, and what could have minimized the effects.

About Truesec Eng

Truesec is a global cybersecurity company with a clear purpose: Creating safety and sustainability in a digital world by preventing cyber breach and minimizing impact. Over the years, Truesec has gained a strong reputation and earned the trust of organizations worldwide. Today, Truesec consists of 200 dedicated cyber specialists covering the full spectrum of cybersecurity. For more information: www.truesec.com