Cyber attacks targeting companies for commercial secrets has nearly doubled this year compared to last year.
About 35% of firms suffered external attacks during the year, compared to 18% in 2012, the annual fraud statistics report byinvestigations agency Kroll found.
Claimed to be the second-most common fraud experienced by companies, information theft has been experienced by 20% firms globally, the FT reported citing Kroll’s report.
The report also revealed that 75% of respondents were vulnerable to being attacked, with 68% of them reportedly investing in IT security, which also raises concerns of how vulnerable the remaining third might be.
Kroll UK cyber investigations head EJ Hilbert said that one possible reason for the reported increase in hacking is that companies have now been far more aware of the situation and can identify what’s going on.
"But also there’s a lack of understanding of how [the attacks are] done," Hilbert said.
Last month, the UK revealed plans to establish a £500m ‘cyber strike force’ to help defend from cyber attacks and launch its own sophisticated assaults against them.
