Login
iscover
Cyber attacks across the globe increased by 44 per cent in 2024, according to a new report released by cyber security firm Check Point Software Technologies.
Cyber attacks across the globe increased by 44 per cent in 2024, according to a new report released by cyber security firm Check Point Software Technologies.
2024’s cyber security landscape was shaped by nation-state-backed hackers taking part in disinformation and influence campaigns, driving in part a 44 per cent in cyber incidents year-on-year in 2024
The bad news comes from the company’s 13th annual report, The State of Global Cyber Security 2025.
Both Russian and Iranian hackers utilised artificial intelligence to create content based on deepfakes and spread via social media to influence 2024’s US presidential election. Iran was also responsible for a string of hack-and-leak operations against several political candidates. Iran also targeted journalists and lobbyists through social engineering and phishing attacks.
According to Check Point, “These operations demonstrated Iran’s ability to blend disinformation with cyber infiltration to sway public opinion”.
Elections in Taiwan were also impacted by Chinese cyber activity, while Russia meddled in Romania’s election, while the Paris Olympics was also a target of Russian disinformation campaigns.
China has also embedded itself in several US telcos and critical infrastructure entities, using what Check Point calls a “red button” approach to preparing for further civil disruption should a conflict develop between China and the US.
Meanwhile, North Korea is using cyber espionage to boost its income via stolen cryptocurrencies and hijacked crypto wallets. This comes just days after the United States, South Korea, and Japan released a joint statement warning that the rogue nation was responsible for the theft of US$659 million worth of cryptocurrency in 2024.
Conflict in both Ukraine and the Middle East has been a driver of widespread malware campaigns, particularly highly destructive wiper malware that can delete data from vital networks. Russian and Iranian hackers were the main actors engaged in this form of warfare, though Ukrainian hackers have been responsible for several destructive attacks on Russian networks.
“Today’s cyber warfare has evolved from immediate destruction to encompassing campaigns that lay the foundations for eroding systems – whether social or physical,” Eli Smadja, Check Point’s Security Research Group Manager, said in the report.
“Now, nation-states wield cyber ‘weapons’ like AI-generated deepfakes and social media manipulation that weaken democratic processes over time while their covert operations secure access to critical infrastructure, setting the stage for future attacks”.
