A new report by Trend Micro warns that about 75 percent of all cyberattacks start with an email. As the post-pandemic world sets in and hybrid work becomes the norm, cyberattacks are increasing. Keeping personal, business or financial data secure is all about informing the public.
Simple steps are usually the solution for massively spreading hacking and scam trends. However, the final consumer is generally unaware of how vulnerable their mobile, tablet, computer, or IoT device is. Scammers and hackers exploit this vulnerability and continually innovate to find new ways to breach security.
A new report by Trend Micro says that 75 percent of all attacks in 2021 started with an email. Ninty-two percent of all malware was delivered through email, and phishing emails accounted for 90 percent of all data breaches. Trend Micro revealed they blocked a staggering 94 billion threats. Malicious files stopped spiked by 382 percent. The report linked the rise in threats to hybrid and remote work. Simple steps like keeping 2FA updated, running a trusted antivirus, and treating a work tech gear as if it was their personal device can keep users safe.
Email Malware Is Just The Start Of A Digital Nightmare
Remote and hybrid workers are usually given computers, mobiles, other devices as well as access to corporate or business clouds. As a result, workers tend to be less cautious when handling themselves in a digital world that is not their own. However, the risks for them are just as high, whether operating a personal or professional account. Malware and data breaches can affect both a company's and workers' personal data.
While cyberattacks begin with an email, they do not end there. Emails are just the backdoor to drop in malware. Once the malware breaches a device, it can spread and lead to ransomware attacks or personal and financial data breaches. For example, the pandemic was used by hackers as a tool to trick their victims into clicking on an email. The scams referred to vaccine updates where victims are asked to update their personal information.
Misconfigured cloud services were also identified as the main vulnerability, with Amazon's cloud ranking high. In total, Trend Micro detected and prevented 25.7 million email threats in 2021, up from 16.7 million the year before. To keep safe, never open suspicious emails, make sure to configure the cloud email correctly, report spam and threats, and keep two-factor authentication passwords up to date. Additionally, always use a trusted antivirus, and above all, treat the computer, mobile, or other devices the user uses for work as if it were their own.
Source: Trend Micro