Global cyber attacks continue to rise in 2024, with the average number of cyber attacks per organization per week reaching 1,308 in the first quarter of 2024. This is a 28% increase from the last quarter of 2023 and a 5% increase year-over-year. As the number rises, the costs of these attacks rise as well.

The Sophos 2024 Threat Report covers these and other malware distribution mechanisms now in use, which range from phishing to malvertising and SEO poisoning. It also identifies the most common vulnerabilities attackers exploit and how the threat landscape is changing.

The Index, published today in the journal PLOS ONE, shows that a relatively small number of countries house the greatest cybercriminal threat. Russia tops the list, followed by Ukraine, China, the USA, Nigeria, and Romania. The UK comes in at number eight.