Russia is experiencing a more than threefold increase (220%) in the proportion of reconnaissance attacks on the web resources of Russian companies in the second half of 2024. Experts attribute this to the development of artificial intelligence technologies, which allow attackers to effectively automate these attacks.
The share of reconnaissance attacks on web resources has increased from 6.8% to 22%. Bi.Zone experts attribute this growth to the availability of AI tools that allow reconnaissance operations to be carried out without the need for deep technical knowledge. Such attacks allow gathering information about target systems, their vulnerabilities, and defense strategies, which helps attackers prepare more complex and successful attacks in the future.
Among other threats, the largest share is accounted for by remote code execution (RCE) attacks, which give attackers full control over the server, allowing them to steal data, modify content, and gain access to system resources. These attacks are particularly common in the medical and construction industries, where the proportion of such incidents is more than 50%.
Often, the targets of reconnaissance attacks are companies in the media, industry, as well as in the financial and insurance sectors. Geographically, most of the attacks (84%) originate from Russia, which is explained by the use of proxy servers and server rentals within the country to bypass geo-blocking.
Thus, the observed trend towards an increase in reconnaissance attacks on web resources underscores the need to increase the level of cybersecurity and threat monitoring, especially in vulnerable industries.
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