The number of novel malware used in cyberattacks has increased by as much as 40 percent per minute, according to a new report.
The data is from Canadian cybersecurity solutions company BlackBerry, which published its latest Global Threat Intelligence Report to examine the cyberthreat landscape during the first quarter of fiscal 2024.
The report revealed that BlackBerry detected and stopped 3.1 million cyberattacks between January and March.
The United States remains a prime target among malicious actors, with 82 percent of cyberattacks throughout the reporting period directed at U.S.-based entities. For comparison, in the company’s fourth quarter report for fiscal year 2023 published in March, the U.S. accounted for 76 percent of cyberattacks.
The analysis also found that over half of the breach attempts used unique malware.
Overall, novel malware, or malicious software never observed before, has been growing. BlackBerry now sees an average of 7,500 unique malware samples targeting its customers daily, or 5.2 per minute, a significant increase from 1.5 per minute in Q1 2023.
Despite global efforts to stop cybercrime groups, ransomware such as LockBit, 8Base and Hunters International remain a threat.
In a statement, Ismael Valenzuela, vice president of threat research and intelligence at BlackBerry, noted that 2024 is a particularly politically charged year with conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and elections.
“In a year where over 50 countries are holding elections, geopolitical tensions are at an all-time high, and every nation will soon be fixated on the Olympic Games, the threat landscape can feel overwhelming to navigate,” he said.
The full report is available for download on BlackBerry’s website.
