Microsoft Report Reveals Cyberattacks Doubled to 600 Million Daily

The 2024 Microsoft Digital Defense Report has revealed a sharp increase in cyberattacks, with daily incidents worldwide doubling to 600 million.

Mr. Colin Baumgart, Commercial Solution Area Director for Microsoft South Africa, highlighted this during his presentation at the virtual Microsoft Africa AI Journalist Academy on Wednesday.

Baumgart’s presentation, titled “Cybersecurity in the Era of AI,” discussed the growing collaboration between state actors and cybercriminals.

According to the report, over 78 trillion security signals are received daily from the cloud, endpoints, software tools, and partner ecosystems, helping to understand and protect against digital threats and criminal cyber activities.

Baumgart also noted a significant increase in data breaches, with over one billion records stolen in 2024, according to TechCrunch. He explained that these breaches not only compromise personal information but also embolden cybercriminals to profit from attacks.

Also Read: Microsoft Exposes State-Backed Hackers Using AI Tools for Espionage

“As threats evolve, so must strategies to combat them, requiring joint efforts from individuals, organisations, and governments. Cyber threats do not recognise borders and can ripple through networks, impacting countless users,” Baumgart said.

He emphasised that collaboration and partnerships contribute to a broader security ecosystem, sharing threat intelligence and best practices. However, he acknowledged that while technology offers empowerment, it also provides adversaries with tools to advance their malicious activities.

Baumgart pointed out that cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging AI to launch more sophisticated attacks, bypassing traditional defences and automating malicious operations. In response, Microsoft is continuously evolving its security strategies to keep pace with AI-driven threats.

He concluded by stating that while AI can manage large-scale data analysis, human judgment remains crucial for nuanced decision-making, making the partnership between AI and human expertise vital as the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve.