Report uncovers prime targets for cyber criminals as attacks accelerate

NETSCOUT SYSTEMS has published the findings of its Threat Intelligence Report for the first half of 2019. The report underscores how dramatically the cybercriminal business model has matured into an efficient, global operation and the increasing geographical diversity and proliferation of nation- state Advance Persistent Threats (APT) groups. It reinforces the need for companies to minimise risks by having a better view of the threat landscape.

With the introduction of NETSCOUT’s Cyber Threat Horizon, users can leverage the platform’s visibility and situational awareness capability customised by geography and vertical industries, to gain perspective into emerging threats. These insights in turn allow businesses to identify and address potential risks within their security ecosystem.

"Our latest Threat Intelligence Report underscores how cybercriminals and crimeware have not only gone to business school, but they can now teach classes," said Hardik Modi, NETSCOUT's senior director of threat intelligence. "With the cadence of attacks on the rise, businesses can no longer afford to compromise on security. IoT devices are under attack often within just five minutes of being powered up. The threats are real, and Cyber Threat Horizon gives businesses extensive visibility and clarity into the threat landscape, helping them to make the right security choices."

Key findings from the Threat Intelligence Report include:

• Botmasters are getting smarter. Attackers are increasingly taking advantage of everything from smart home sensors to smartphones, routers, and even Apple software to discover and weaponise new attack vectors.
• Focus on mid-size DDoS attacks. DDoS attack frequency grew 39% in the first half of 2019 from the first half of 2018; a staggering 776% growth occurred in the number of attacks between 100 Gbps and 400 Gbps.
• Firewalls are getting hit. Proof-of-concept malware is targeting IoT devices behind firewalls. This new trend highlights a potentially devastating situation since there are 20 times more IoT devices behind firewalls than directly connected to the internet.
• Geopolitical skirmishes go cyber. Geopolitical adversaries increasingly target one another using cyber tactics ranging from malware and DDoS attacks to social engineering and misinformation.

NETSCOUT's Threat Intelligence Report covers the latest trends and activities, including nation-state, APT groups, IoT vulnerabilities, crimeware operations, and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack campaigns. It references insights secured from NETSCOUT’s Active Level Threat Analysis System (ATLAS), alongside analysis from the company’s ATLAS Security Engineering and Response Team (ASERT), to provide a unique view of the growing threat landscape.