Cybercriminals unleashed an average of 411,000 malicious files every day in 2023, representing a 3% increase from the previous year, according to Kaspersky.
The firm’s Security Bulletin: Statistics of the Year Report published on December 14, 2023, showed that particular types of threats also escalated.
One example is the use of malicious desktop files (Microsoft Office, PDF…) to spread malware. Out of the 125 million files detected by Kaspersky in 2023, 24,000 were such documents – representing a 53% increase from 2022.
“The growth may be linked to a rise in attacks using phishing PDF files, designed to pilfer data from potential victims,” the report reads.
Uptick in Backdoor Use
Microsoft Windows remained the primary target for cyber-attacks, accounting for 88% of all malware-filled data detected daily. However, the firm observed a few interesting samples of macOS malware, especially in France, China and Italy.
Many of the malicious files targeting macOS systems were disguised as adware.
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Vladimir Kuskov, Head of Anti-Malware Research at Kaspersky, commented: “Adversaries continue to develop new malware, techniques and methods to attack organizations and individuals. The number of vulnerabilities reported is also growing annually, and threat actors, including ransomware gangs, use them without hesitating.”