Cyber threats that shaped the first half of 2024

Global cybercrime has shown no sign of decline and is expected to grow strong per year over the next five years. To identify the most urgent cybersecurity threats of the first half of 2024, the Critical Start Cyber Research Unit (CRU) analyzed 3,438 high and critical alerts generated by 20 supported EDR solutions, as well as 4,602 reports detailing ransomware and database leak activities across 24 industries in 126 countries.

The first half of 2024 saw a worrying trend in cyberattacks targeting specific industries and key report findings include:

Manufacturing and Industrial Products remains the top targeted industry by cyber threat actors in H1 2024, leading with 377 confirmed reports of ransomware and database leak hits in the first half of the year.

Professional Services saw an increase in reported database leaks and ransomware attacks, jumping by 15% compared to 2023 with 351 cases reported vs. 334. Legal services organizations, including courthouses, and supply chains have become prime targets due to the wealth of intellectual property and sensitive data they possess.

Healthcare & Life Sciences – Ransomware and database leak incidents surged by 180% in February 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, coinciding with the attack on Change Healthcare and other healthcare providers.

Engineering and Construction remained a consistent target for cyberattacks in the first half of both 2023 and 2024 with the United States bearing the brunt of cyberattacks in the first half of 2024, experiencing a staggering 46.15% increase compared to 2023.

Technology – Researchers found a 12.75% decrease (from H1 2023) in database leaks and ransomware attacks targeting technology companies.

“The first half of 2024 has painted a concerning picture of the ransomware threat landscape. We are continuing to observe a surge in ransomware and database leak activities,” said Callie Guenther, Senior Manager of Cyber Threat Research at Critical Start. “With bad actors becoming more sophisticated, it is vital for organizations to have a strong security culture and strategy in place. MDR solutions that integrate asset inventory, endpoint controls security coverage, and MITRE ATT&CK mitigations, help organizations proactively mitigate risk, leading to a reduced attack surface and a more resilient security infrastructure.”

The report also highlights trending concerns for businesses, including:

• BEC attacks: Previously focused on large corporations, BEC scammers are now targeting smaller, less cybersecurity-conscious businesses.
• Deepfakes and social engineering: Findings show a surge in deepfake attacks, with an exponential 3,000% increase in deepfake fraud attempts.
• Abuse of open-source repositories: Attackers are increasingly using these repositories to launch two main types of attacks: repo confusion attacks and supply chain attacks.