Business
Focused
Technology

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center Marks Its 6 Millionth Complaint as Pace Accelerates

The rate at which cyberattacks are increasing are being noticed by both their victims and the FBI, who are seeing more people affected by online crimes and scams.

Cyberattacks are occurring at an all-time rapid pace. The FBI recently announced a staggering statistic providing some insight into just how quickly that pace is increasing. According to an IC3 recent post, it took seven years for the FBI to collect its first million complaints. That is compared to the most recent million complaints only taking slightly more than one year, less than half the time it took for the previous million.

Source: FBI.gov

According to the FBI, complaints of cyberattacks and scams increased nearly 70% between 2019 and 2020 (no 2021 data has been released). The top three crimes reported by victims in 2020 were phishing scams, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and extortion. The first is an attack technique, whereas the last two are social engineering themes. It’s important to realize that while email is a primary attack vector for most cyberattacks, cybercriminals can take any path they deem appropriate – phone, SMS/text, email, online, or a combination therein.

The staggering growth of the number of complaints is a reflection of both an understanding of the availability of the FBI’s complaint center, as well as the massive increase in the number of attacks. With “as a service” models for most attacks springing up daily, it’s relatively easy for just about anyone to join in and become a cybercriminal.

Keeping cybersecurity vigilance high in the workplace is always my recommendation. Using Security Awareness Training continually keeps your users up-to-date of the latest types of attacks, scams, social engineering tactics, and threats, so users know what to look for and how to avoid falling for an attack.


SOURCE: KnowBe4.com

President, Transportation Company

Your technical support team has always been able to handle our needs quickly, efficiently, and patiently. We appreciate your timeliness and the hours you have saved us. It is great to know that we have people at IT360 capable to provide solutions to our problems.

President, Transportation Company

Recent
Technology News

IT360 News
Social Engineering Red Flags

Social engineering is a sophisticated technique that malicious actors use to manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or bank details, which they then use for fraudulent activities. Recognizing the red flags associated with social engineering is crucial for protecting personal and organizational data. Phishing emails are one of tricky tools used in […]

Read more
IT 360 News
How Our History Supports Your Future

By Matt Machala Although the way we support businesses has changed since IT360 was founded in 2006, our why hasn’t changed. Since the beginning, we’ve helped businesses keep pace with technological advancements, improve productivity and minimize downtime with technology services tailored to each client.  Teamwork for Your Tech Needs As technology has evolved, so have […]

Read more