In a worrying trend, global cyber attacks have risen sharply in the second quarter of 2024, with Africa experiencing the highest volume of attacks per organization. According to recent data (thanks, Check Point Software Technologies), there was a 30% year-over-year increase in cyber attacks worldwide, with organizations facing an average of 1,636 attacks per week.

Africa emerged as the most targeted region, with an alarming average of 2,960 weekly attacks per organization, which is a 37% increase from the same period in 2023. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria were identified as the top African countries facing major cyber threats, with South Africa alone experiencing an average of 1,450 weekly attacks per organization.

While Africa topped the list regarding attack volume, Latin America saw the most consequential rise, with cyber attacks increasing by 53% year-over-year to an average of 2,667 per week. Europe also experienced a substantial 35% increase in cyber attacks.

Globally, the education and research sector was the most targeted, facing 3,341 attacks per week, followed by government and military institutions with 2,084 attacks, and healthcare organizations with 1,999 attacks.

Ransomware attacks involving public extortion increased by 13% year-over-year, totaling approximately 1,200 incidents globally in Q2 2024. North America bore the brunt of these attacks, accounting for 58% of all reported ransomware incidents. Interestingly, Africa accounted for only 1% of reported ransomware attacks, showing a 55% decrease from the previous year.

The manufacturing sector was hit hardest by ransomware, representing 29% of publicly extorted attacks’ victims globally and a 56% year-over-year increase. Healthcare followed, accounting for 11% of the attacks. The communications and utilities sectors experienced dramatic rises in ransomware incidents, with increases of 177% and 186%, respectively.

Cybersecurity experts attribute this rise in cyber attacks to increasing digital transformation and sophisticated techniques by cybercriminals, including AI and machine learning. Maybe Hollywood has also given cybercriminals some ideas on how to evade authorities, but we’ll leave speculation for online forums.

Recommended prevention and mitigation strategies include enhancing overall security posture, conducting regular employee training, implementing advanced threat prevention technologies, adopting zero-trust architecture, and ensuring regular data backups. Experts also stress the importance of network segmentation, vulnerability management, and having resilient incident response plans in place