IT security professionals from over 3500 institutions worldwide participated in a recent survey conducted by cybersecurity firm Trend Micro, and the results are concerning. The survey found that 78% of respondents anticipate a successful cyber attack to occur within the next 12 months, despite an improvement in global cyber risk level from “elevated” to “moderate” for the first time. This percentage is still high, marking a 7% decrease from the first half of 2022.
Of those surveyed, 70% expect a breach in customer data within the next year, and 69% predict a breach of critical data. These numbers are a clear indication that businesses must prioritize cybersecurity and take the necessary steps to protect their sensitive information.
However, the report also reveals that the overall global cyber risk has improved, with the Cyber Risk Index (CRI) reaching +0.01, the first time it has entered positive territory since Trend Micro began publishing these reports. The CRI is based on two factors: the cyber preparedness index and the cyber threat index. The former reflects an organization’s readiness to defend against cyber attacks, while the latter measures the level of cyber threat at the time of calculation.
Jon Clay, Trend Micro’s Vice President of threat intelligence, believes that this improvement in global cyber risk is a positive sign that organizations are taking steps to improve their cyber preparedness. He said, “For the first time since we’ve been running these surveys, we saw the global cyber-risk index not only improve but move into positive territory at +0.01. It means that organizations may be taking steps to improve their cyber-preparedness.”
The report also breaks down the CRI scores based on regions. Europe and Asia-Pacific were placed on the positive side of the scale, with +0.12 and +0.05, respectively. Meanwhile, North America and Latin/South America were in the negatives, with -0.10 and -0.03, respectively.
As cyber attacks continue to increase in frequency and complexity, it is crucial for businesses to invest in robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard their valuable data. The consequences of a cyber attack can be devastating, including reputational damage, financial losses, and legal liabilities. With cyber risk still a major concern for organizations worldwide, it is essential that they remain vigilant and take proactive steps to protect themselves from potential cyber threats.
