• Overall malware up 2%, with surges in IoT malware (+87%) and cryptojacking (+43%)
• Ransomware attacks dipped 25% globally, but 2022 still second-highest year on record for global ransomware attempts (493.3 million)
• Education (+157%), finance (+86%) and retail (+50%) verticals hit hardest by malware
• Ukraine saw record levels of malware (25.6 million) and ransomware (7.1 million)
• In APAC, malware climbs (+38%), with cryptojacking spiking (+129%) and IoT Attacks up (+73%)
• SonicWall discovered 465,501 'never-before-seen' malware variants in 2022
• Intrusion attempts against Log4j vulnerabilities eclipsed 1 billion

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 1 March 2023 - SonicWall, publisher of the world's most quoted ransomware data and trusted cyberattack intelligence, today released the 2023 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report. The bi-annual report details an increasingly diversified cyberattack landscape amid shifting threat actor strategies. SonicWall recorded the second-highest year on record for global ransomware attempts, as well as an 87% increase in Internet of Things (IoT) malware and a record number of cryptojacking attacks (139.3 million) in 2022. "The past year reinforced the need for cybersecurity in every industry and every facet of business, as threat actors targeted anything and everything, from education to retail to finance," said SonicWall President and CEO Bob VanKirk. "While organizations face an increasing number of real-world obstacles with macroeconomic pressures and continued geopolitical strife, threat actors are shifting attack strategies at an alarming rate." Threat Actors Shift Strategies, Opt for Covert Cyberattack Methods Global malware volume increased 2% year-over-year, but it was jumps in IoT malware (+87%) and cryptojacking (+43%) that offset the decline of overall global ransomware volume (-21%), signifying a strategic shift. Threat actors have embraced slower and more stealthy approaches to achieve financially-motivated cyberattacks. "Cyberattacks are an ever-present danger for companies of all sizes, putting their operations and reputation on the line," said SonicWall Threat Detection and Response Strategist Immanuel Chavoya. "It is crucial for organizations to understand attackers' tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), and commit to threat-informed cybersecurity strategies to defend and recover successfully from business-disrupting events. This includes stopping sophisticated ransomware attacks as well as defending emerging threat vectors, including IoT and cryptojacking." In addition to cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated and covert, threat actors are showing clear preferences for certain techniques, with notable shifts toward weak IoT devices, cryptojacking and potentially soft targets like schools and hospitals. Prominent ransomware attacks impacted enterprises, governments, airlines, hospitals, hotels and even individuals causing widespread system downtime, economic loss and reputational damage. Following global trends, several industries faced large year-over-year increases of ransomware volume, including education (+275%), finance (+41%) and healthcare (+8%). "Organizations today face an evolving threat landscape where threat actors are finding new and creative ways to stay ahead of the enterprise," said Debasish Mukherjee, Vice President, Regional Sales, Asia Pacific Japan at SonicWall. "Cyber risks and their impacts on organizations globally continue to dominate headlines and boardrooms. The 2023 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report helps elevate us as a credible source and strengthens our ability to provide sound security measures to our customers." Diverse Attacks Offset Global Ransomware Decline Cybercriminals are using increasingly advanced tools and tactics to exploit and extort victims, with state-sponsored activity growing as a concern. While ransomware continues to be a threat, SonicWall Capture Labs threat researchers expect more state-sponsored activity targeting a broader set of victims in 2023, including SMBs and enterprises. The 2023 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report provides insight on a range of cyber threats, including:

• Malware – Total volumewas up 2% in 2022 after three straight years of decline — just as SonicWall predicted in the 2022 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report. Following that trend, Europe as a whole saw increased levels of malware (+10%) as did Ukraine, which had a record 25.6 million attempts, suggesting malware was used heavily in regions impacted by geopolitical strife. In APAC, the cyber landscape continues to remain gloomy with all tracked metrics rising in severity, including a surge in malware (+38%). Interestingly, malware was down year-over-year in key countries like the U.S. (-9%), U.K. (-13%) and Germany (-28%).

• Ransomware – Although overall ransomware numbers saw a 25% decline globally, the total volume in 2022 was higher than 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. In particular,...