600 million cyber attacks every day against our users

Microsoft has released the fifth edition of the “Microsoft Digital Defense Report,” which shows that cyber threats are increasing globally. In the tongue Report It is reported that more than 600 million cyberattacks threaten users of Microsoft products and services every day.

For example, the number of attempted ransomware attacks more than doubled last year, and Microsoft had to deal with more than 1.25 million DDoS attacks in the second half of 2024 alone, which is a four-fold increase compared to the previous year.

Of the identity-based cyberattacks, 99 percent are password attacks. According to Microsoft, about 7,000 of these attacks were blocked per second last year. Microsoft now wants more people to understand the importance of moving to passwordless authentication, such as biometric login and key-based authentication.

Geopolitically motivated attacks are common

A large portion of the threats come from state-backed actors in countries such as Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China. The attacks target both individuals and organisations, and are described as “increasingly serious and sophisticated”, as they often have geopolitical motives, such as influencing political elections in other countries.

The report also discusses how AI is increasingly involved in cyberattacks. Meanwhile, Microsoft sees AI as key to defending against cyber threats, and an important part of “Safe Future Initiative“—an investment that Microsoft has committed since November 2023 to improving security in everything from how the company's products, services, and devices are built to how they are tested and maintained.