India experienced a high number of cyber-attacks in the first half of 2024, which included 593 cases of data breaches, leaks, ransomware attacks and illegal trading of access credentials, says India Breach Report by FalconFeeds, a product of the cyber-security firm Technisanct.
The six-month period witnessed 388 data breaches, 107 data leaks, 39 ransomware group activities and 59 cases of access sales or leaks. Education, government and technology sectors emerged as primary targets. Other sectors such as healthcare, banking, manufacturing, and consumer services also faced severe cyber hazards, the report said.
“This evolving cyber threat landscape in the nation, particularly within critical sectors like government and education, is a stark reminder that it is high time we need to create a protocol to address this issue. No sector is immune,” said Nandakishore Harikumar, CEO, Technisanct. “As the digital frontier expands, safeguarding data and information will be paramount and proactive measures must be prioritised to protect our nation’s digital assets,” he added.
Elections & the surge
A concerning correlation between cyber-attacks and periods of increased national activity was observed, with a surge in incidents coinciding with the Indian general elections from April 19 to June 1. From March to April, there was a marked increase in cyber incidents, peaking in May, followed by a slight decrease in June and a more notable drop in July.
Breach Forum and Telegram were identified as hotspots for data breaches and scams, while the ransomware group LOCKBIT 3.0 posed a significant threat. The report also emphasises the imperative for robust cyber-security measures to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive data. Regular security audits, employee training, data encryption and robust incident response plans are among the recommended safeguards.