Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 52 | Page 38

Trellix finds escalation of cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure as geopolitical tensions rise

Cybersecurity firm , Trellix , has released its latest Threat Labs Report which covers Q4 2021 threat research . The findings detail wiper malware aimed at Ukraine and an upsurge in cyberthreats from a likely Russian-backed actor in the fourth quarter of 2021 , as well as malware being used most often in reported incidents in Q4 2021 , accounting for 46 % of total incidents .

Trellix , the cybersecurity company helping to deliver the future of extended detection and response ( XDR ), has released its Threat Labs Report : April 2022 , examining cybercriminal behaviour over the last six months . Key findings from the report include individual consumers being the number one target of cybercriminals , closely followed by the healthcare vertical . Additionally , the transportation , shipping , manufacturing and information technology industries showed a sharp increase in threats .

“ We ’ re at a critical juncture in cybersecurity and observing increasingly hostile behaviour across an ever-expanding attack surface ,” said Christiaan Beek , Lead Scientist and Principal Engineer , Trellix Threat Labs . “ Our world has fundamentally changed . The fourth quarter signalled the shift out of a two-year pandemic which cybercriminals used for profit and saw the Log4Shell vulnerability impact hundreds of millions of devices , only to continue cyber momentum in the new year where we ’ ve seen an escalation of international cyber activity .”
Vibin Shaju , General Manager , UAE , Trellix
Threats to critical infrastructure
Q4 2021 saw increased cyber activity targeting sectors essential to the function of society :
• Transportation and shipping were the target of 27 % of all advanced persistent threat ( APT ) – activity by adversarial and stealthy actors – detections
• Healthcare was the second most targeted sector , bearing 12 % of total detections
• From Q3 to Q4 2021 , threats to manufacturing increased 100 % and threats to Information Technology increased 36 %
• Of Trellix customers , the transportation sector was targeted in 62 % of all observed detections in Q4 2021
Trellix also recently released a global Cyber Readiness Report investigating how critical infrastructure providers are preparing for cyberattacks . It found many critical infrastructure providers have not implemented cybersecurity best practices despite high-profile breaches .
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