Cyber attacks decrease significantly in Switzerland

Switzerland thus recorded the sharpest decline within the DACH region. The figures also fell slightly in Germany (-5 %) and Austria (-4 %). On average, the DACH region recorded 1227 attacks per week, which corresponds to a decrease of 10.5% compared to August.

In a global comparison, the level of cybercrime nevertheless remains high: companies were attacked an average of 1900 times per week - only slightly less than in the previous month. Latin America (+7 %), North America (+17 %) and the education sector, which once again led the way with an average of 4175 attacks per week, were particularly affected.

Switzerland: Consumer goods sector in focus

In Switzerland, the consumer goods and services sector, telecommunications, public authorities, financial service providers and industrial companies were among the sectors most affected. Check Point emphasizes that critical infrastructures and public services continue to be in the crosshairs of cyber criminals - despite a slight decrease in the number of attacks.

Ransomware on the rise globally

The ransomware situation in particular is worsening worldwide. In September, 562 attacks were reported - an increase of 46% compared to the previous year. North America accounted for more than half of these cases, followed by Europe with 19 percent. The Qilin group was particularly active, accounting for 14% of all recorded attacks and operating with a new Rust-based encryption system. The Play and Akira groups are also among the most active attackers and are increasingly targeting industry and business services.

Generative AI as a new risk

In addition to traditional attack methods, GenAI-related security incidents are also on the rise, according to CPR. Criminals are increasingly using generative AI to refine phishing campaigns or automate data leaks. Omer Dembinsky, Data Research Manager at Check Point Research, warns: "The number of attacks may be falling slightly, but their sophistication is increasing. Ransomware remains the destructive force, while the emergence of GenAI leaks creates a new dimension of risk."

Prevention instead of reaction

Check Point recommends that companies rely on preventive real-time security strategies to stop attacks before damage occurs. Traditional detection methods are no longer sufficient, they say. The analysis is based on the AI-based ThreatCloud platform, which evaluates data from over 150,000 networks worldwide to provide a comprehensive picture of the global cyber threat situation.