Mandiant announced the findings of its annual M-Trends report, a study based on high-profile cyberattacks and associated remediations around the world throughout 2023. The 2024 report, now in its 15th year, demonstrates continued progress in the world organization's defense capabilities. Now you can identify harmful cyber activity within your network faster than ever before. Additionally, the report examines notable cyber threats and activities and provides detailed insights broken down by region.
Key findings from the M-Trends 2024 report show that global median dwell time, a measure of the length of time an attacker remains undetected within a target environment, has decreased significantly. This length of stay decreased from 16 days in 2022 to the lowest level of 10 days, the lowest in 10 years. The report found that the top targeted industries were financial services (17%), followed by business and professional services (13%), high tech (12%), retail and hospitality (9%), and healthcare (8%). %). . These areas have emerged as prime targets because they house highly sensitive data storage, ranging from proprietary business data, personally identifiable information, and protected health information to financial records. It is considered.
Mandiant began tracking a record 626 new malware families in 2023. This is the highest number he has ever identified in one year. These malware families were primarily classified as backdoors (33%), downloaders (16%), droppers (15%), credential stealers (7%), and ransomware (5%). This report identifies new patterns that are giving cyber attackers ample opportunity to stay under the radar by exploiting edge devices, exploiting land-based technologies, and more importantly exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities. .
Jurgen Kutscher, vice president of Mandiant Consulting at Google Cloud, explained what the report means and what the future holds. “Adversaries regularly adjust their tactics, techniques, and procedures to achieve their objectives, which can be difficult for defenders. Nevertheless, our front-line investigators “We learned that organizations are doing a better job of protecting their systems and detecting breaches in 2023. Defenders should be proud, but organizations must remain vigilant.” , highlights the tendency for attackers to strategically evade detection systems with zero-day vulnerabilities and highlights the need for effective threat hunting programs complemented by comprehensive post-breach investigation and remediation strategies. did.
The M-Trends 2024 report provides valuable insights into global cyber activity, highlights areas for improvement, and raises awareness of the dangers that persist in the digital space. This knowledge helps organizations improve their cybersecurity efforts and stay one step ahead of potential cyber threats.
