CrowdStrike 2024 report: analysing global cyber threats and defence strategies

The CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threats Report details the key threats and trends shaping the threat landscape in 2023, the attackers driving this activity, and offers defence strategies your organisation can use to strengthen security in the year ahead.

The tenth CrowdStrike report explores how attacker behaviour is increasing the risk to the security of organisations’ data and infrastructure.
Thanks to this report, organisations are becoming more aware and prepared to effectively confront new threats.

How speed and stealth increase the chances of successful cyberattacks

Attackers are operating with exceptional stealth and launching attacks in minutes.

Over the past year, CrowdStrike’s Counter Adversary Operations (CAO) division has observed eCrime groups, state threat actors and hacktivists working to maximise the speed, stealth, and impact of their attacks.

The average eCrime breach time was just 62 minutes in 2023, up from 84 minutes the previous year. The fastest breach time was just 2 minutes and 7 seconds.

Personal data is increasingly being targeted

Behind most of today’s attacks is a person. Interactive intrusions increased by 60% in 2023. Additionally, 75% of attacks were used to gain initial access and did not contain malware. Attackers are using more effective techniques such as credential phishing, password spraying, and social engineering. Attackers can log in with credentials with stolen identities. This is now one of the fastest and most common ways to gain access.

The stolen identity market continues to grow. In 2023 alone, the number of adverts from brokers has increased by 20% selling valid credentials.

Cloud environments are under threat

As organisations continue to move operations to cloud environments, attackers are rapidly improving their skills and exploiting weaknesses in defences. A 75% increase in intrusions into cloud environments has been recorded. Attackers are using identities to gain access.

This all goes to show that identities are the most vulnerable factor in the security of organisations.Therefore, protecting them becomes even more important.

In 2023, CAO started tracking 34 new entities, increasing the total number to over 230. To stop breaches, you need to understand the motivation and methods that attackers use to target organisations.

Below are the trends and conclusions we examine in this year’s report:

• Relationships with third parties. Attackers have consistently worked to exploit vendor-client relationships. By gaining access to vendors’ IT services, they compromised the software supply chain and used it to distribute malicious tools.

• The use of generative artificial intelligence will grow. In 2023, we saw states and hacktivists experimenting with generative AI to democratise attacks and lower the barrier to more sophisticated operations. Generative AI will likely continue to be used in cyberattacks in 2024, as its popularity only continues to grow.

• Global election disruption.There are more than 40 democratic elections scheduled for 2024. Therefore, state and eCrime attackers will have numerous opportunities to interfere with the electoral process or influence voter opinion. States such as China, Russia, and Iran will likely conduct disinformation and sowing discord operations amid geoconflicts.

Don’t miss the opportunity to strengthen your organisation’s defences against advanced cyber threats. Download “the CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threat Report”now for a detailed analysis of the threat landscape.

iIT Distribution is a leading cyber security expert and official distributor of CrowdStrike’s advanced solutions. We offer comprehensive support to organisations in strengthening IT security and optimising their infrastructure. Our approach covers not only the provision of the necessary software and hardware but also includes comprehensive integration and support services to ensure that cyber defence solutions are implemented effectively.