Global cyberattacks surged in 2025 as Kaspersky recorded an average of 500,000 malicious files daily—evidence of a rapidly intensifying threat landscape.
The company’s latest Security Bulletin shows sharp increases across several threat categories, including a 59% rise in password stealer detections, 51% growth in spyware, and 6% in backdoor attacks compared to 2024. Windows users remained the most targeted, with 48% facing threats, while 29% of Mac users were affected. Globally, 27% of users encountered web-based threats.
On-device attacks—malware spread via USB drives, CDs, DVDs, or hidden installers—impacted 33% of users worldwide. Africa recorded the highest exposure with 41% of users affected, followed by APAC (33%), the Middle East (32%), Latin America (30%), and Europe (20%).
Kaspersky’s Head of Threat Research, Alexander Liskin, warned that vulnerabilities and stolen credentials remain the most common entry points for attackers. He also noted an increase in supply chain attacks, including the first widespread NPM worm, Shai-Hulud.
Liskin stressed that organisations must adopt robust cybersecurity strategies to avoid prolonged downtime. He advised individual users to avoid untrusted downloads, use two-factor authentication, install updates promptly, and rely on trusted security solutions.
For organisations, he recommended regular software updates, restricting public exposure of remote access systems, isolating backups, and using advanced threat intelligence and enterprise-grade security tools.
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