Report: Network malware surged 94% in Q4 2024

WatchGuard Technologies latest Internet Security Report reveals a sharp rise in network-based malware detections, surging 94% in the final quarter of 2024, signaling increasingly aggressive and evasive cyber threats, Beta News reports.

The companys Threat Lab also recorded a 315% spike in detections via its machine learning-based IntelligentAV tool and a 141% rise in malicious crypto mining activity.

Attackers continue to exploit easy vulnerabilities while also evolving their techniques to bypass conventional security, said Corey Nachreiner, WatchGuards chief security officer.

He emphasized the need for layered defenses, vigilant monitoring, and system updates as key strategies for reducing risk. The report also noted that zero-day malware has rebounded to 53% of total detections, up from 20% in the previous quarter, with more threats now delivered through encrypted channels. Despite these spikes, the total number of unique malware variants detected dropped by 91%, which researchers attribute to a decline in targeted attacks and a rise in widespread, generic malware campaigns.