Trojan horses, viruses, spyware\u2026 Some of these have fancy names, others just sound ominous. But there\u2019s one thing they have in common: You don\u2019t want these anywhere near your computer, smartphone, or tablet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malware can take a huge toll on your system. It\u2019s not just the equivalent of catching a cold during winter; it\u2019s much worse. A handkerchief is, unfortunately, of no use here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You need to know your enemy before you can fight back. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve compiled the latest malware statistics, including some lesser-known facts about this hi-tech plague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(AV-Test Institute)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 2013, malware has been spreading exponentially. The initial boom doubled the number of malicious files and programs infecting the web. In the following years, the growth might have slowed down, but it definitely hasn\u2019t stopped. Even with built-in antivirus software protecting the newest operating systems, there\u2019s more malware online than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(AV-Test Institute)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rate at which malware spreads is terrifying. Anti-malware institutes include every new malicious program they find in their malware database. Hundreds of thousands of files become infected by malware on computers and websites every day. These are mostly the result of existing infections that keep spreading like actual diseases. According to the latest statistics, more than 17 million new malware instances are registered each month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(SonicWall)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some people and companies continue to be targeted by malicious software more often than others. In 2019, there were nearly 10 billion attacks registered by the companies that keep an eye on global cybersecurity<\/a> and malware attack statistics. While there\u2019s still no full report for 2020 available, by all data, it seems that the total number of attacks is on a decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Symantec)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Year on year, the number of new malware variants is oscillating. In 2019, for example, there were far fewer variants of new malware appearing than in previous years. At the time, there were fewer ways malware could potentially take down computer systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Google)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ever since late 2007, the number of websites containing malware has been consistently above 100,000. Come early 2018, and this number began to decline rapidly. The latest Google report cites that just 7% of tested websites are infected. Even though the trend continues, the start of the COVID-19 epidemic brought a significant jump in malware sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Google)<\/p>\n\n\n\n There hasn\u2019t been a week in recent years without at least a few malware threats popping up on Google\u2019s radar. The average number of new websites that are compromised by linking to malware pages or containing codes hackers can abuse<\/a> is around 2,500 every week. However, sites that actually contain malware represent just 1.6% of this number; or around 50 per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (SonicWall)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hackers are becoming sneakier, which is a cause for concern in itself. Year after year, they\u2019re finding ways to mask their malicious plots as legitimate websites. Websites using SSL and similar encryptions are no longer as safe as we once thought they were. Now, these supposedly secure sites have become one of the latest malware threats. Since visitors trust these encryptions, it\u2019s becoming more and more important to provide extra security for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (SonicWall)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Internet of Things devices are slowly but steadily finding their way into our homes. But there\u2019s a price you pay for convenience; these devices also carry various security risks with them. Unfortunately for everyone looking to create a smart home, IoT is a massive malware target. The newest malware statistics show more than 20 million IoT malware attacks detected<\/a> in the first half of 2020 alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Symantec)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Routers have proved to be the most desirable targets for hackers, with 75% of all IoT malware infecting these devices. Once infected, a router can then spread the infection to the local network, which can, in turn, infect dozens of additional devices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Statista)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly every second computer in China is infected by some form of malware. Its 47% malware infection rate is the highest globally, followed by Turkey with 42%, and Taiwan with 39%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Statista)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common malware programs – both globally and in the United States – are Trojans. Coming in second place and responsible for about 13% of total malware infections are viruses. Scripts were third-ranked in this 2019 survey by AV-Test, accounting for approximately 9% of all malware infections worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Checkpoint)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unsurprisingly, good old executables are still the easiest way to catch a computer virus. Recent computer virus stats show that 53% of viruses spread by .exe files, while .pdf is way behind in second place with just 6%. Executables are the most commonly infected email attachments<\/a>, too, accounting for 21% of all infected files sent via email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Verizon)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBe careful with your emails,\u201d the experts are warning us. According to the 2020 Data Breach Investigation Report by Verizon, malicious files include Word, Excel, and other formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Symantec)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cryptojacking – abusing other people\u2019s machines for mining a cryptocurrency – is once again a hot trend among hackers. There was a 163% jump in cryptojacking attempts in 2020. Symantec\u2019s virus statistics seem to tell us why: They show a strong correlation between the value of Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) and the popularity of cryptojacking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Symantec)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In recent years, the number of hackers employing destructive malware for their nefarious deeds has been rapidly increasing. Cybercriminals are now looking to strike at companies and small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (CNET)<\/p>\n\n\n\n No lesson in the history of malware is complete without mentioning ILOVEYOU<\/a>. This worm is considered the most destructive computer virus of all time<\/a>. It did one very simple thing: It renamed all files \u201ciloveyou\u201d until the system crashed. While the exact scope of this attack was never revealed, analysts said it affected roughly 10% of all PCs around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Kaspersky)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although not as aggressive as in 2018, mobile malware continues to be a severe threat. New malware threats were popping up like mushrooms after a rain, with more than 14 million new malware infection attempts recorded on mobile devices during each quarter of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Kaspersky)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking at global malware infection statistics for smartphones and tablets, Iran, Bangladesh, and Algeria had the highest infection rate of all countries in Q3 of 2020. However, the news wasn\u2019t all bad for Iran; the country suffered fewer mobile malware attacks in 2020 than it did in 2019, but that still couldn\u2019t shift it from the top spot on the global leaderboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Kaspersky)<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn 2020, the number of detected malware variants rose by 62%.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
7% of websites Google tested for malware were infected.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Each week, Google detects 50 websites containing malware.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Malware distributed through encrypted protocols is down 32% from 2019.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
20 million IoT malware attacks were detected in the first half of 2020.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Three in four infected IoT devices are routers.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Computer Virus Statistics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
China has the highest number of malware-infected computers.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Trojans account for 58% of all computer malware.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Viruses are mostly spread via .exe files.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
46% of hackers disseminating malware deliver it almost exclusively through email.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Cryptojacking saw another spike in 2020.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
From 2017 to 2018, there was a 25% increase in the number of hackers using destructive malware.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
The infamous ILOVEYOU virus caused $10 billion of damage when it struck in 2009.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Mobile Malware Statistics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The total number of mobile malware attacks surpassed 28 million during the first half of 2020.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
With a 30.3% infection rate, mobile malware is most widespread in Iran.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
AdWare is the most common piece of mobile malware.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n