45 percent of Middle East users have dealt with malware in Q3 2015

According to a recent report by Kaspersky Security Network, 18% of users faced electronic threats through the internet. Adware, a malware that provides automatic pop-up ads to make profits for their owners, was still the most widespread malware in the region during July and September 2015.

Findings reveal that trojan attacks doubled in comparison to the same period in 2014, and the attacks’ severity increased, targeting the commerce and banking service sectors through the internet. In addition, malwares register a boost in greater numbers and over a wider range, and become more complicated.

Targeted technological attacks have also become more developed and complicated, to the extent that satellites are used to launch concealment and phishing attacks that specifically target governmental IT systems and employees in the Middle East and North Africa.

Kaspersky Lab’s survey, conducted with B2B International, shows that 51% of the organisations in GCC countries were attacked by viruses, spyware and other malicious programmes from the end of 2014 to date. Moreover, 24% of the organisations say they have experienced phishing attacks, while the networks of 24% of the organisations were penetrated, 22% suffered DDoS attacks, and 13% faced targeted attacks. The top three internal threats the organisations faced were the loss or theft of mobile devices, leaking data by employees unintentionally, and software vulnerabilities.