Picus Security: September 2023 Cyber Threat Landscape by Region and Industry

Picus Security has released its analysis of cyber threats for September 2023, detailing the most targeted regions and industries globally. The report aims to provide organizations with critical insights into the evolving threat landscape.

According to the findings, North America was the most significantly targeted region during September. Threat actors such as Scattered Spider, the Smishing Triad gang, and the NoName057(16) hacktivist group were active, utilizing tools like the 0ktupus malware and DDoSia Bot. Key sectors experiencing heightened activity included finance and healthcare.

East Asia was identified as the second most targeted region. Attacks in this area were attributed to groups like Earth Estries APT and P2PInfect worm propagators. The report also notes activity from a state-sponsored group potentially linked to Russia, known by the name Pipedream. The financial sector and government entities were prominent targets in East Asia.

Picus Security's methodology involves aggregating data from diverse sources, including threat intelligence feeds, exploit databases, and network data. By analyzing malware campaigns, threat actor activities, and the emergence of new malware samples, the company provides a comprehensive overview. This intelligence is intended to help businesses understand which threats might impact their specific sector and region, thereby enabling them to bolster their cybersecurity defenses.