SonicWall: Cyberseattack surge demands increasing need for MSPs
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are becoming increasingly vital as organizations grapple with these evolving cybersecurity threats, said cybersecurity company SonicWall.
In its 2024 SonicWall Annual Cyber Threat Report, the firm unveiled a concerning surge in cyberattacks, with overall intrusion attempts in 2023 climbing to almost one billion more than 2022’s figures (+20%) and ransomware intensifying, especially in the second half of the year (+27%), peaking during the summer months (+37%).
This escalation is part of a broader trend that saw a staggering 659% spike in global cryptojacking volume and a 117% rise in encrypted threats, signaling a shift towards more stealthy and diversified tactics by cybercriminals.
The report also highlights a 15% increase in Internet of Things (IoT) exploits, reflecting the growing vulnerability of connected devices.
Amidst these rising threats, SonicWall discovered an alarming 293,989 ‘never-before-seen’ malware variants in 2023, averaging 805 new strains each day.
SonicWall President and CEO Bob VanKirk stresses the importance of MSPs in adapting to new tactics and platforms used by threat actors. As businesses become more reliant on the cloud, MSPs are transitioning from technical support to enhancing their customers’ security posture.
“It has become clear that conventional network security isn’t enough. Security professionals need assistance to cope with the overwhelming volume of cyberattacks and protect from the endpoint to the cloud,” he added.
By offering an additional layer of human defense, MSPs help alleviate the burden on IT departments, addressing alert fatigue and freeing up resources for core business functions.
The report’s insights into malware, ransomware, IoT exploits, and encrypted threats illustrate the need for organizations to adopt proactive cybersecurity measures.
With SonicWall sensors identifying and preventing more than 19,000 threats per day, the role of MSPs has never been more critical in protecting valuable assets and navigating the cybersecurity landscape with confidence and resilience.
