Activity began to pick up at the end of the Northern Hemisphere summer, with September recording a 28% month-on-month increase – momentum that has now accelerated into October’s spike, NCC reports.
The October surge indicates that threat actors are intensifying their operations ahead of what is typically the most active period for cyber crime. “The fourth ‘golden quarter’ of the year sees peak consumer spending from Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, presenting greater opportunity for cyber threat actors,” according to NCC.
NCC Group’s stats are derived from actively monitoring leak sites favoured by each ransomware group. Of the 594 attacks in October, industrials remained the most targeted sector, with 28% (167) of all attacks. Consumer discretionary (which includes automotive manufacturers, retail businesses, and leisure facilities) suffered 124 attacks. Healthcare moved to third place with 64 attacks.
