At 5.2 billion, India ranks 2nd globally in encrypted cyberattacks: Report

The United States topped the list with 11 billion attacks between October 2023 and September 2024: Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Encrypted Attacks Report

India has recorded the second-highest number of encrypted cyberattacks globally, with 5.2 billion attacks between October 2023 and September 2024, according to the Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Encrypted Attacks Report. The United States topped the list with 11 billion attacks, while India outpaced countries such as France, which recorded 854 million attacks, the United Kingdom with 741 million, and Australia with 672 million. 

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What are encrypted cyberattacks?

Encrypted cyberattacks refer to activity where encryption techniques are used to hide malicious activity, evade detection, and for hackers to protect their data from being intercepted or understood by security systems. The sophistication of these attacks can make it difficult for security software to detect and prevent them as the true nature of the attack may be difficult to identify. 

Ransomware is one of the most common forms of encrypted cyberattacks.

 

Growth in encrypted threats

Globally, the report highlights that more than 87 per cent of all threats were delivered via encrypted channels during the period under review, reflecting a 10 per cent increase from the previous year. 

Malware accounted for the majority of these attacks, comprising 86 per cent of encrypted threats, which translated to 27.8 billion malware hits worldwide. This represents a significant 19 per cent rise compared to the previous year.

 

Most prominent malware families

The most active malware families included AsyncRAT, ChromeLoader, AMOS/Atomic Stealer, Ducktail, Agent Tesla, and Koi Loader.  The growing sophistication of these attacks shows a strategic shift by cybercriminals who are leveraging encryption to conceal malicious payloads and evade detection. 

Manufacturing sector most targeted

In India, the manufacturing sector faced the brunt of these attacks, witnessing a staggering 170.88 per cent increase in encrypted threats year-on-year. The rapid adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and interconnected systems has likely expanded the attack surface for threat actors. 

The technology and communication sector also saw significant activity, accounting for 32.6 per cent of encrypted threats.

Other industries such as finance, insurance, retail, and wholesale also remained heavily targeted, reflecting the diverse nature of sectors under threat. 

Malware biggest threat in India

In India, while malware continued to dominate and accounted for 97 per cent of all encrypted threats, phishing attacks saw a modest decline of 3.80 per cent, and cryptojacking incidents fell by 8.67 per cent. 

This trend may indicate that threat actors are adapting their strategies, possibly leveraging generative AI technologies to deploy more advanced forms of malware. 

Globally, cross-site scripting attacks surged by 79.39 per cent, while browser exploit attacks increased by an alarming 172.81 per cent.

 

Deepen Desai, chief security officer at Zscaler, stressed the need for organisations to adopt robust security measures, noting that encrypted channels are increasingly being exploited for advanced threats and data exfiltration.