PITTSBURGH, Jan. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cybercrime remains one of the biggest threats worldwide, according to a new report from email cloud security and backup provider Hornetsecurity. The Cyber Threat Report Edition 2021/2022 details the latest insights and data on the current threat situation with a focus on email communication. The report examines the development of spam and advanced threats, shows which industries are most under threat, and identifies the most frequently used cyberattack methods. It also reviews the most crucial cybercrime-related events of the past year.

Hornetsecurity's Cyber Threat Report is now available for free download here.

40% of all incoming emails pose a potential threat

As the primary means of communication for business, email is one of the main gateways for cybercrime and remains a prime attack vector. Threat researchers at the Hornetsecurity Security Lab found that 40% of all inbound emails out of the total email traffic during the research period posed a potential threat. This includes spam, phishing emails, and advanced threats such as CEO fraud and any type of malware.

Phishing, malicious links, and ransomware are among the most popular attack tactics used by hackers. "Brand impersonation" is especially popular. For this, cybercriminals copy a company's corporate design and mimic the sender address in such a way that it can hardly be distinguished from the original, genuine email address. The main aim is to obtain the user's access data or to spread malware via hidden links. At 16.5%, Deutsche Post and DHL are among the top five most frequently imitated brands.

Ransom leaks: trend takes on greater dimensions

Still in its early days just about two years ago, ransom leaks are now widely known. These attacks are an extension of ransomware campaigns: In ransom leak attacks, sensitive data is first copied and then encrypted. If the targeted victim refuses to pay ransom for decryption, the cybercriminals threaten to publish the copied data on their so-called leak websites.

Around 140 files have been published on REvil's ransomware leak website so far, with new ones being added almost daily. Despite this large volume, the hacker group is only in 5th place among the leak websites with the most published data from ransomware victims.

In addition to these and other insights about the current state of global cybercrime, the Cyber Threat Report Edition 2021/2022 also provides an outlook on further possible developments.

Get your free copy of the Cyber Threat Report today, and access all data, figures, and visuals!

About Hornetsecurity

Hornetsecurity is the leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365. Its flagship product is the most extensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market, providing robust, comprehensive, award-winning protection: Spam and virus filtering, protection against phishing and ransomware, legally compliant archiving and encryption, advanced threat protection, email continuity, signatures and disclaimers. It's an all-in-one security package that even includes backup and recovery for all data in Microsoft 365 and users' endpoints.

Hornetsecurity Inc. is based in Pittsburgh, PA with North America offices in Washington D.C. and Montreal, Canada. Globally, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network. Its premium services are used by approximately 50,000 customers including Swisscom, Telefónica, KONICA MINOLTA, LVM Versicherung, DEKRA and Claas. www.hornetsecurity.com 

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SOURCE Hornetsecurity