The study finds that India's healthcare sector has been the most affected, experiencing 8,614 weekly attacks per organisation. The education and government sectors are also under threat, with 7,983 and 4,731 weekly attacks, respectively. The study notes that recent data breaches have exposed vulnerabilities within India's systems.
The report identifies various types of malware prevalent in India, including remote access Trojans (RATs), infostealers like Formbook, and ransomware strains such as Maze. The rise of generative AI (GenAI) has also played a role in cyberattacks, facilitating disinformation campaigns and deepfake videos. Infostealer attacks surged by 58%, with over 70% of infected devices being personal, as attackers exploit bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environments.
Globally, the report reveals broader trends in the cyber threat landscape. Nation states are seeing a shift in their tactics from acute attacks to chronic campaigns aimed at eroding trust and destabilising systems. Ransomware tactics have evolved, with data exfiltration and extortion becoming more common than traditional encryption-based attacks, particularly impacting the healthcare industry, which saw a 47% increase in attacks.
Edge devices, such as routers and VPNs, have become key entry points for attackers, with advanced botnets controlling over 200,000 devices. The report also highlights that 96% of exploits in 2024 leveraged vulnerabilities disclosed before that year, emphasising the critical need for proactive patch management.
To address these escalating threats, Check Point recommends that organisations in India and worldwide strengthen BYOD security, invest in threat intelligence, enhance patch management, secure edge devices, and focus on resilience through comprehensive incident response plans.
