Indian Cyber Attack Surge: 20% Rise in 2024

Cyber attacks on Indian clients surged by 20% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter, with over 7.15 billion incidents blocked. The BFSI sector faced increased threats. Healthcare and SMEs were notably affected. Key vulnerabilities were identified, with many remaining unpatched.

Indian cyber threats have seen a dramatic increase, with a 20% rise in attacks recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter, according to IT security firm Indusface. The company reported preventing over 7.15 billion cyber incidents across its Indian clientele during this period.

The Banking, Financial, and Insurance Services (BFSI) sector bore the brunt of the attacks, experiencing double the attack rate per site compared to the global average. Alarmingly, healthcare websites showed a 100% rate of bot-driven attacks, endangering patient data and hospital infrastructure.

Particularly vulnerable were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), suffering 236% more DDoS attacks than larger organizations. The report highlighted 26,000 critical vulnerabilities, with a third remaining unpatched for over six months, which poses a significant risk of exploitation by cybercriminals.

(With inputs from agencies.)