Cybercrime has grown exponentially in recent years, with cyber attackers targeting industries holding valuable data and critical operations. The Our Report reveals not only an increase in the volume of attacks but also a sharper focus on specific sectors. As digital transformation accelerates, organizations across industries face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Key Targeted Sectors and Attack Ratios
The sectors most frequently targeted, along with their relative attack ratios compared to the previous year, are:
The technology sector remained the most targeted for the seventh consecutive year, as technology companies manage infrastructure and data critical to multiple industries. Breaching them often provides attackers wider access to interconnected systems.
The consulting and professional services sector witnessed a significant surge, with a 141% increase in attacks year-over-year. These firms handle confidential business strategies, financial records, and personal data, making them highly attractive targets for cyber attackers seeking sensitive information.
The healthcare sector saw a 75% increase in financially motivated intrusions. Healthcare organizations store protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII), and payment data, making them lucrative targets for extortion, ransomware, and black-market sales.
Other sectors like financial services, retail, manufacturing, telecommunications, and government organizations also remained heavily targeted. Attackers recognize these industries as valuable for financial exploitation, disruption, and data theft.
Evolution of Cybercrime Tactics
Cybercrime tactics have evolved dramatically. Interactive intrusions, where cyber attackers manually navigate within victim environments, increased by 55% over the past year. A dominant 86% of these were linked to cybercriminal groups motivated primarily by financial gain.
Attackers increasingly exploit identity-based vulnerabilities, stealing credentials to move laterally across networks without setting off alarms. Techniques like “living off the land,” where they use legitimate system tools instead of malware, help them blend in with normal user behaviour.
Cloud environments have become a major battleground, with 75% more cloud intrusions year-over-year. Cyber attackers now commonly exploit misconfigured cloud systems and insecure access policies to maintain long-term presence inside organizations.
Insider threats have also evolved. Cyber attackers have been observed infiltrating companies by posing as legitimate employees during the hiring process, obtaining authorized internal access before executing malicious activities.
Meanwhile, the use of Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools by cyber attackers surged by 70%. Legitimate tools like ScreenConnect and AnyDesk were often repurposed to establish remote control covertly after the initial compromise.
Conclusion
Cybercrime continues to escalate both in speed and complexity. Key sectors such as technology, healthcare, and consulting are experiencing sharp rises in attack volumes. With attackers now taking only 62 minutes on average to move laterally within networks, organizations must strengthen their defences. Rapid detection, proactive threat hunting, stronger identity protection, and tighter cloud security are crucial to stay ahead of cyber attackers in today’s evolving digital landscape. ParadigmIT Cybersecurity will provide comprehensive cybersecurity solutions tailored to meet these modern challenges, ensuring your organization remains secure and resilient.
