How Many Cyber Attacks Per Day: The Latest Stats and Impacts in 2024

As we gear up to enter the new financial year, one thing is for sure: cyberattacks per day continue to pose a major threat to businesses of all sizes. With the rise of IoT attacks and the low prosecution rate of cybercriminals, it’s no wonder that companies are spending billions to protect themselves. 

Cybercrime is projected to cost companies worldwide $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. So, if you’re a business owner or CISO, it’s more important now than ever to be aware of the latest cyberattack statistics, understands their impact on different industries, and know how to protect your organization from these threats.

How Many Cyber Attacks Happen Per Day In The World?

Nearly 4000 new cyber attacks occur every day. Every 14 seconds, a company falls victim to a ransomware attack, which can result in devastating financial losses while 560,000 new pieces of malware are detected every day. ^Source

How Many Cyber Attacks Per Day 2022?

The first half of 2022 alone saw 236.1 million ransomware attacks globally. In 2022 alone, the total damage caused by cyberattacks reached a staggering $8.4 trillion. ^Source 53.35% of US citizens and 39% UK businesses were affected by cyber-attacks in 2022.

Crucial Cyberattack Statistics

Cybercrime is one of the fastest-growing and most dangerous risks facing businesses today. As we head into the new financial year, it’s crucial to understand the impact of cyber attacks on your business. Here are some eye-opening statistics to give you an idea of what’s at stake:

• Cybercrime is estimated to cost businesses $10.5 trillion globally by 2025.
• On average, small businesses spend less than $500 on cybersecurity, leaving them vulnerable to attacks that could cripple their operations. ^Source
• Malware attacks, which involve the installation of malicious software on a victim’s device, continue to be a major threat, with 560,000 new pieces of malware detected every day. ^Source
• Phishing attacks, which trick victims into revealing sensitive information, are also on the rise, with 3.4 billion phishing emails sent daily. ^Source

These statistics show that cyber attacks are not just a possibility but a harsh reality that businesses face every day. It’s essential to take cybersecurity seriously and take proactive measures to protect your business.

Different Types of Cyber Attacks Occurring Daily

Malware Attacks

• 560,000 new pieces of malware are detected every day.
• There are now more than 1 billion malware programs out there.
• Trojans account for 64.31% of all computer malware.

Phishing Attacks

• 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent daily. Roughly 100 million phishing scams are blocked by Google every day.
• 91% of cyber attacks start with email scams. ^Source
• Around 24.7 of phishing emails come from Russia. ^Source
• Nearly 85% of all emails are spam. ^Source

Stolen credentials are the most common factor that leads to data breaches. A report from 2022 that surveyed 1,400 organizations, highlighted that phishing scams are more clever than they’ve ever been.

• Around 80% of participants in this report were fearful that they would eventually encounter a cyber attack via email.
• Roughly 96% of them reported a phishing attack within the last year, which goes to show how common this scam is.

Ransomware Attacks

• Every minute, four companies fall victim to ransomware attacks. ^Source
• A ransomware attack happens every 14 seconds.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks

• DDoS attacks are increasing in size, with the average attack size reaching 5.17 Gbps in Q2 2022. ^Source
• In 2022, DDoS attacks resulted in an average loss of $2.3 million per attack for enterprises.
• The longest DDoS attack lasted for 23 days, and it targeted a financial institution in Hong Kong.

SQL Injection Attacks

SQL injection attacks have been around for more than two decades and are still a popular method for hackers to steal data.

• In 2022, the number of SQL injection attacks reported by OWASP was 274,000
• It takes less than 10 seconds to perform an SQL injection attack on a vulnerable website.

Man-In-The-Middle (MITM) Attacks:

• MITM attacks represent 19% of all successful cyber-attacks, according to a 2021 study.
• A 2022 report by F5 found that over 50% of all MITM attacks involve the interception of sensitive information such as login credentials and banking information.
• MITM attacks are responsible for an estimated $2 billion in annual losses worldwide, according to a 2020 report by Accenture.

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) Attacks:

• In 2022, the average cost of an APT attack was $4.8 million, according to a report by Accenture. ^Source
• APT attacks can remain undetected for an average of 146 days, giving attackers ample time to exfiltrate sensitive data, according to a 2021 report by Verizon.
• The healthcare sector is the most vulnerable to APT attacks, with 53% of healthcare organizations reporting at least one APT attack in 2021, according to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures.

The Impact of Cyberattacks on Different Industries

Cyberattacks have significant impacts on various industries, and here are some statistics that showcase the magnitude of the issue:

Healthcare

• The healthcare industry suffers the highest cost of cyberattacks at an average of $10.10 million per breach. ^Source
• In 2020, the healthcare sector saw a 55% increase in cyberattacks compared to the previous year.
• One of the largest healthcare breaches was suffered by Anthem Inc. in 2015. It affected 78.8 million people. ^Source

Financial Services:

• The financial services industry has one of the highest average costs of a data breach at $5.85 million per incident.
• In 2021, the finance and insurance sector experienced the highest number of breaches, accounting for 26% of all incidents.
• Between 2018 and 2022, data breaches in financial institutions resulted in 153.3 million leaked records. ^Source

Retail:

Retail is the second most targeted industry by cybercriminals. Retailers report that ransomware attacks are the most common type of cyber attack they face.

• In 2021, one of the world’s largest retailers suffered a ransomware attack that resulted in 150 million customer records being compromised.

Government and Public Sector:

• “The number of cyber attacks targeting the government sector increased by 95 percent in the second half of 2022 compared to the same period last year” ^Source
• In 2021, a major US federal agency reported a data breach that exposed the personal information of 21.5 million people.
• This year, the US Marshals Service suffered a ransomware attack.

Education:

• In 2022, Indian educational and research institutes faced 1605 attacks every week, up by 75% from the previous year. ^Source

• Globally, the education sector saw a 44% increase in cyberattacks compared to 2021. ^Source

It’s important to note that these statistics only scratch the surface of the impact of cyberattacks on these industries. Businesses must take steps to protect themselves from cyber threats, including implementing robust cybersecurity measures and educating employees on how to identify and prevent cyberattacks.

How are businesses coping with the increased cyberattacks?

The cybersecurity industry has been continuously evolving to help businesses combat the ever-increasing threat of cyberattacks. Here are a few ways the industries have responded:

1. Increased Investment: According to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures, global spending on cybersecurity products and services is expected to surpass $1 trillion cumulatively over the five years from 2017 to 2021.
2. Advanced Technologies: The use of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Blockchain has been on the rise. AI and ML can analyze vast amounts of data, enabling the detection of anomalies that may indicate a potential cyber threat. Blockchain technology is being used to secure transactions and prevent cyberattacks on financial institutions.
3. Cybersecurity Training: Companies are investing in cybersecurity training for their employees to raise awareness about potential threats and how to prevent them. This helps employees understand the importance of cybersecurity and how they can protect sensitive data.
4. Regular Vulnerability Assessment and Pentesting

It’s essential for businesses to keep a tap on their security posture at all times. A combination of continuous vulnerability scanning and frequent pentesting helps businesses stay ahead of emerging threats as well as security breaches caused by internal errors.

5. Increased Collaboration: The cybersecurity industry has increased collaboration to better combat cyber threats. Sharing threat intelligence, best practices, and knowledge can help in identifying and mitigating cyber risks.
6. Zero Trust: The concept of Zero Trust has become more popular, where no user or device is trusted by default. Instead, the identity of the user or device is verified before granting access to resources. This approach minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and helps to prevent data breaches.
7. Cyber Insurance: With the increasing risk of cyberattacks, many companies are investing in cyber insurance policies. This helps to mitigate the financial impact of a cyber incident and can cover costs associated with the investigation, legal fees, and recovery.

These are just a few examples of how the cybersecurity industry has responded to cyber threats. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, the industry will need to continue to adapt and innovate to stay ahead of cybercriminals.

The State of Cyberattacks today

Cyberattacks refer to malicious attempts to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems, networks, or devices. They can take various forms, including malware attacks, phishing attacks, ransomware attacks, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, SQL injection attacks, man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, and advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks.

Why cyberattacks per day matter

With nearly 4000 cyberattacks per day worldwide, the frequency of cyberattacks is an important metric to consider as it provides insight into the magnitude and prevalence of cyber threats that organizations face. 

Furthermore, the cost of cyberattacks can be staggering, with businesses and individuals suffering financial losses, reputational damage, and other negative consequences.  An in-depth understanding of the velocity and volume of cyber criminality can help businesses allocate resources toward thwarting these menaces more effectively.

How to Protect Yourself from Cyberattacks?

The best defense against cyberattacks is to stay prepared. Here are some essential tips to help you protect yourself

1. Password Management: Strong passwords are the first line of defense against hackers. Make sure you use unique passwords for each account, and avoid using personal information like your name or birthdate. You can also use a password manager to generate and store your passwords securely.
2. Two-factor authentication: This adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring you to enter a code sent to your phone or email, in addition to your password.
3. Regular vulnerability assessments: Conducting regular vulnerability assessments can help you identify potential security flaws in your system before hackers exploit them.
4. Training employees: Educate your employees about cybersecurity risks and train them to identify suspicious emails and messages. This can help prevent phishing attacks and other social engineering tactics.
5. Maintaining compliance: Follow industry standards and regulations to ensure you are taking the necessary steps to protect your business and customers’ sensitive information.

Final Thoughts

The threat of cyberattacks is increasing every day, and it’s crucial to take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your business. By staying vigilant and implementing best practices, you can reduce your risk of falling victim to cybercrime. Remember, prevention is always better than cure when it comes to cybersecurity.

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