WatchGuard Threat Lab Report Finds Endpoint Malware Volumes Decreasing Despite Campaigns Growing More Expansive

WatchGuard Threat Lab Report Finds Endpoint Malware Volumes Decreasing Despite Campaigns Growing More Expansive

PRESS RELEASE

SEATTLE – Oct. 4, 2023 – WatchGuard® Technologies, a global leader in unified cybersecurity, today announced the findings of its latest Internet Security Report, detailing the top malware trends and network and endpoint security threats analyzed by WatchGuard Threat Lab researchers. Key findings from the research include 95% of malware now arriving over encrypted connections, a decrease in endpoint malware volumes despite campaigns growing more widespread, ransomware detections on the decline amid a rise in double-extortion attacks, older software vulnerabilities persisting as popular targets for exploit among modern threat actors, and more. 

“The data analyzed by our Threat Lab for our latest report reinforces how advanced malware attacks fluctuate in occurrence and multifaceted cyber threats continue to evolve, requiring constant vigilance and a layered security approach to combat them effectively,” said Corey Nachreiner, chief security officer at WatchGuard. “There is no single strategy that threat actors wield in their attacks and certain threats often present varying levels of risk at different times of the year. Organizations must continually be on alert to monitor these threats and employ a unified security approach, which can be administered effectively by managed service providers, for their best defense.”

Among the most notable findings, the latest Internet Security Report featuring data from Q2 2023 showed:

Consistent with WatchGuard’s Unified Security Platform® approach and the WatchGuard Threat Lab’s previous quarterly research updates, the data analyzed in this quarterly report is based on anonymized, aggregated threat intelligence from active WatchGuard network and endpoint products whose owners have opted to share in direct support of WatchGuard’s research efforts.

The Q2 2023 report continues the rollout of the Threat Lab team’s updated methods to normalize, analyze, and present the report findings, which began in last quarter’s report. The network security results are presented as “per device” averages, and this month the updated methodologies extend to the Threat Lab’s network attack and endpoint malware research. 

For a more in-depth view of WatchGuard’s research, read the complete Q2 2023 Internet Security Report here.

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

WatchGuard® Technologies, Inc. is a global leader in unified cybersecurity. Our Unified Security Platform® approach is uniquely designed for managed service providers to deliver world-class security that increases their business scale and velocity while also improving operational efficiency. Trusted by more than 17,000 security resellers and service providers to protect more than 250,000 customers, the company’s award-winning products and services span network security and intelligence, advanced endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, and secure Wi-Fi. Together, they offer five critical elements of a security platform: comprehensive security, shared knowledge, clarity & control, operational alignment, and automation. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit WatchGuard.com.

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