Security Architecture, Endpoint/Device Security, Endpoint/Device Security, Security Strategy, Plan, Budget, Incident Response, TDR, Governance, Risk and Compliance, Critical Infrastructure Security, Endpoint/Device Security, Endpoint/Device Security, Endpoint/Device Security

SecureWorks: 90 percent increase in attackers targeting utilities since May

Share

Researchers at SecureWorks have reported a 90 percent increase in attackers caught targeting utilities during the past five months.

The Atlanta-based company has seen an average of 93 hackers targetingeach client per day during the past five months.

From January to April of this year, researchers found anaverage of 49 attackers targeting utilities per day.

SecureWorks manages security for 100 utilities, according toa news release issued this week.

Wayne Haber, director of development at SecureWorks, told SCMagazineUS.comtoday that many of the attacks targeted web browsers, meaning they could beattempts to enlarge botnets.

“What we tend to see with browser attacks is that they'retrying to create more bots for the botnets,” he said. "We've been researchingand trying to see why [there are increasing targets against utilities], and itmight be that they have a large number of workstations, which would make theminteresting to people creating botnets.”

Get daily email updates

SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news

By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.