"Ransomware and BEC Make Up 60% of Cyber Incidents"

According to security researchers at Cisco Talos, ransomware and business email compromise (BEC) attacks accounted for 60% of all incidents in the second quarter of 2024.  Technology was the most targeted sector in this period, making up 24% of incidents, a 30% rise from the previous quarter.  The researchers noted that adversaries may view technology firms as a gateway into other industries and organizations, given their role in servicing various industries, including critical infrastructure.  The next most frequently targeted sectors in Q2 were retail, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and education.  According to the researchers, the most common initial access method was the use of compromised credentials on valid accounts, making up 60% of attacks.  This represents a 25% rise on the previous quarter.  The joint most observed security weaknesses observed by the researchers in Q2 2024 were vulnerable or misconfigured systems and a lack of proper MFA implementation, both up by 46% on the previous quarter.  Ransomware comprised 30% of the Cisco Talos Incident Response team’s engagement over this period, representing a 22% increase compared to Q1 2024.

Infosecurity Magazine reports: "Ransomware and BEC Make Up 60% of Cyber Incidents"