Azerbaijan ranks eighth in CIS for cyberattacks in early 2024

Azerbaijan ranked eighth among CIS countries in terms of the number of cyberattacks, with a share of 49.73 per cent of attacks recorded in the first quarter of 2024, under the “Threat Landscape from Kaspersky for Russia and CIS” report.

As detailed in the report, Tajikistan led the CIS countries with the highest rate of cyberattacks, reaching 60.69 per cent. Belarus followed in second place with 59.79 per cent, while Turkmenistan was third with 59.55 per cent, and Uzbekistan held the fourth spot with 58.74 per cent, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

Other countries on the list included Kyrgyzstan (57.21 per cent), Kazakhstan (54.62 per cent), Russia (51.86 per cent), and Armenia (44.21 per cent).

The Kaspersky report highlights that organizations with weak defences and those operating with inadequate security measures are the most frequent targets of cyberattacks. Finance was the most attacked sector, accounting for 28 per cent of cyber incidents, followed by construction at 24 per cent, manufacturing at 14 per cent, and transportation at 9 per cent.

Additionally, the report notes that attackers focusing on espionage and financial gain, including Dcryptor, LockBit, and Conti Trojans, continue to be active.

Specialists emphasize the need for not only improving technical defences but also enhancing digital literacy to combat cyber threats. The report points out that the use of social engineering tactics—where attackers deceive users into performing actions that could cause harm—continues to rise across the region.