Sri Lanka faces rising cyber threats with over 8.6 million web threats detected in 2024, Kaspersky Security Bulletin (KSB) has said.

KBS has revealed that from January to December 2024, Kaspersky detected 8,696,292 different Internet-borne cyber threats in Sri Lanka. This translates into 8.6 million of users in the country being attacked by web-borne threats during this period. Sri Lanka ranked 22nd globally in terms of web-based threat exposure for 2024.

 Web-based threats, or online threats, are a category of cybersecurity risks that exploit end-user vulnerabilities, web service weaknesses, or software flaws. They can cause significant harm to both individuals and businesses.

The methods of attack in Sri Lanka described in the KSB report for 2024 include firstly Exploiting Browser Vulnerabilities (Drive-By Download) which occurs when a user visits an infected website, unknowingly allowing malware to execute on their system. Among these threats, file-less malware is particularly dangerous, as it leverages system components such as the registry or WMI subscriptions for persistence, leaving no trace on the disk.

Kaspersky’s Behavior Detection component, powered by machine learning and behavioral heuristics, detects malicious activity even if the malware code is previously unknown. The Exploit Prevention technology developed by Kaspersky helps detect and block malware attempting to exploit software vulnerabilities in real time.

Secondly, Social Engineering Attacks which require user participation, typically tricking victims into downloading and executing malicious files under the guise of legitimate software. To counteract such attacks, Kaspersky solutions deploy proactive machine learning-based detection and behavior analysis to identify threats even when obfuscation techniques are used to bypass traditional antivirus solutions.

 “2024 should be the year for Sri Lanka businesses to take their cybersecurity one-step forward. With an increasing number of online threats, businesses in the region must strengthen their cybersecurity defenses. Relying solely on traditional security solutions is no longer enough. Organizations need an adaptive and intelligence-led security approach to combat sophisticated cyber threats,” said Sam Yan, Head of Sales for Asia Emerging Countries at Kaspersky.