In 2021, Kaspersky’s detection systems discovered 380 000 malicious files per day, indicating a 5,7% increase compared to 2020.
This growth correlates with the continuous rise in the number of devices used worldwide, among other factors, and is one of the trends found by the Kaspersky Security Bulletin: Statistics of the Year Report.
Kaspersky’s detection systems discovered an average of 380 000 new malicious files daily during the past 12-months, reflecting growth of 20 000 a day compared to the previous year.
Traditionally, most threats (91%) occurred via WindowsPE files – a file format specific to Windows operating systems. However, in 2021 cybercriminals started spreading threats associated with the Linux operating system more actively than ever before. As a result, the number of detected Linux malware and unwanted software grew by 57%.
More than half (54%) of the threats detected by Kaspersky’s systems comprised unspecified Trojans. While many types of threats reflected a decrease in volume in 2021 compared to 2020, Trojan Droppers grew by 2.24% compared to 2020. This type of malware is particularly dangerous since these programs are designed to deliver other, more sophisticated malware to a victim’s device.
There was also a noticeable increase in the number of worms detected (117,5%), with their share reaching 9% – these programs can self-replicate and propagate independently once they breach the system. Lastly, viruses grew by 27%, increasing their share to 10%.
“Throughout the past year, we discovered 20 000 more malicious files per day compared to the previous year,” comments Denis Staforkin, a security expert at Kaspersky. “This was not unexpected – online activity is still at its height due to remote working being adopted worldwide.
“Furthermore, the major shift to online operations also means more devices are being used worldwide. That leads to a wider attack surface and, subsequently, wider exposure to threats.
“Therefore, improving digital literacy and keeping their security solutions up to date are two extremely important tasks for users today.”
The Statistics of the Year Report is part of Kaspersky Security Bulletin (KSB) – an annual series of predictions and analytical reports on key shifts within the cybersecurity world.