Ransomware is highest cyber threat in India: Report

Ransomware, cyber threat — Image Source : FILE Ransomware is highest cyber threat in India: Report

India is reportedly among the top three most targeted countries by cybercriminals who are using AI to create new threats and have been increasing the speed in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. They are pushing ransomware by attempting Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) fatigue attacks for users across the country. These ransomware and malware have emerged as the topmost cyber threat of 2024, with 42 per cent of IT and security professionals identifying them as the fastest-growing type of threat.

As per the IT company Thales, cloud assets, including SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) applications, cloud-based storage, and cloud infrastructure management, remain the primary targets for such attacks, a new report suggested.

Ashish Saraf, Vice President and Country Director, at Thales in India, said, "With data privacy regulations continually changing in India and across the world, enterprises need to have good visibility across their organisation to stand any chance of staying compliant."

The report surveyed nearly 3,000 IT and security professionals in 18 countries across 37 industries.

According to the report, 11 per cent of respondents accepted that they fell victim to a ransomware attack in the last year in India, with 10 per cent paying the ransom.

Despite ransomware being ranked as the top growing threat in the country only 20 per cent of respondents have a formal ransomware plan in place.

Moreover, the report showed that for a second year running, human error remains the leading cause of data breaches, with 34 per cent of enterprises pinpointing this as the root cause.