Global cybersecurity solutions provider Trend Micro Incorporated announced that it blocked 40.9 billion email threats, malicious files and malicious URLs for its customers worldwide in the first half of 2021, a 47 per cent year-on-year increase. During this period, the company detected and blocked a total of 111,028 email spam, malicious URLs and malware in India.

       Globally, ransomware remained the standout threat in the first half of the year as cyber criminals continued to target big-name victims. Working with third parties to gain access to targeted networks, they used advanced persistent threat tools and techniques to steal and encrypt victims’ data. In India, the ransomware threats for H1CY2021 stand at 12.98 per cent, the second highest in Asia, after China.

       The banking industry was disproportionately affected, experiencing a 1,318 per cent year-on-year increase in ransomware attacks in the first half of 2021, globally. The total number of online banking malware detected by Trend Micro in India is 4497, in 1H 2021.

       “The first step towards effectively mitigating cyber risk is understanding the scale, complexity, and specific characteristics of the threat landscape,” said Vijendra Katiyar, Country Manager, India & SAARC, Trend Micro.

       The report’s overall findings highlight the effectiveness of – and increasing need for – a holistic and scalable cybersecurity solution at the enterprise level. As threats continue to increase in frequency and sophistication, enterprise SOC teams will require a platform that can streamline security processes without sacrificing reliability.