Highly susceptible Russian businesses, amounting to over 60%, are discovered to be at risk of cyber attacks
A recent study involving 74 companies across various sectors has shed light on the cybersecurity challenges faced by organisations today. The research, which lasted for a period of three months, found that the retail sector was the least protected, with 83% of organisations experiencing successful hacks.
The study, while not providing specific details about white hackers attempting attacks on these 74 companies, did highlight some general cybersecurity trends and vulnerabilities observed across different sectors.
Sectors under Threat
Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector is heavily affected by ransomware, with up to 44% of computers being impacted and around 62% of ransomware victims paying the ransom. The average cost of a data breach in the manufacturing industry was $5.56 million in 2024. Backdoor attacks are common, making up 28% of malicious actions against the sector.
Retail
In the retail sector, an overwhelming 97% of U.S. top retailers have experienced third-party data breaches in the past year. The average cost of security breaches in the retail industry rose by 18% year-on-year. The sector accounts for 6% of all global data breaches annually.
Higher Education
Colleges and universities are prime targets due to their rich data resources and often limited cybersecurity resources. Ransomware and phishing attacks are significant risks, often resulting from inadequate IT security focus and user clicks on malicious links.
Healthcare
The healthcare sector is vulnerable due to supply chain weaknesses, particularly third-party vendor security lapses. Unauthorized network access and misconfigured systems frequently lead to breaches.
Hospitality
The hospitality industry experiences heightened cybersecurity risks during peak travel seasons, with increased attack frequency and severity. Staff may struggle to detect AI-driven threats, further complicating cybersecurity efforts.
Attack Vectors
Most attacks were carried out using multiple attack vectors. Attacks using vulnerabilities such as public Wi-Fi, compromised passwords, forgotten test servers, data leaks, and unsafe perimeter configurations were observed in 27, 19, 20, 20, and 27 cases, respectively.
In most cases (67% of attacks), the researchers did not require high qualifications to implement an unacceptable event. The fastest "hack" took only 34 minutes from the moment the task was published.
Sector Rankings
The retail sector had the least protection, followed closely by the processing industries with 80% of organisations experiencing successful hacks. The finance and insurance sector was the most secure, with successful hacks recorded in only a quarter of the companies.
White hackers were able to implement an unacceptable event in 3 out of 5 participating companies. The information and communication sphere had 59% of organisations experiencing successful hacks.
These findings underscore the urgent need for organisations across all sectors to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and protect themselves from the growing threat of cyber-attacks.
Cybersecurity threats in the manufacturing sector are prominent, with ransomware posing a significant issue, as up to 44% of computers are impacted, and around 62% of ransomware victims pay the ransom. The information and communication sector had 59% of organisations experiencing successful hacks, indicating a critical need for enhanced cybersecurity in this sector as well.
