According to Microsoft's Digital Defense report released on October 15, there has been a dramatic increase in attempted ransomware attacks on Microsoft customers globally, with 600 million cybercriminal and nation-state threats daily. While ransomware attempts surged by 2.75 times, successful attacks involving data encryption and ransom demands dropped by three-fold, indicating that defenses are effective
Major attack types highlighted in the report include deepfakes and e-commerce theft, with attackers exploiting social engineering, identity compromises, and vulnerabilities in public-facing applications. The report also mentions the increased deployment of generative AI by both attackers and defenders, leading to new concerns and emphasizing the need for effective deterrence and cybersecurity measures. Recommendations for preventing cyberattacks include multi-factor authentication, secure-by-default settings, and strong password protection. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/microsoft-ransomware-attacks-grew-2024/