Who is #1 in cybercrime & cybersecurity?
BY KERRY TOMLINSON, AMPERE NEWS
DECEMBER 22, 2021
Which country has the most infected phones? Who launches the most cyberattacks? Who gets the most phishing attacks? We looked at the research that emerged 2021 and this is what we found.
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#1 Target for malicious mailings
Spain was once an epicenter for COVID-19, with hundreds of people dying each day in Madrid in the spring of 2020. The wave overloaded services so much that the city turned an ice rink turned into a makeshift morgue.
Now in 2021, the coffins are long gone and the rink is sanitized, but there is fallout from COVID, especially on phones and computer screens.
Spain earns the number one spot as top target for malicious mailings --- like phishing --- in the world, according to cybersecurity company Comparitech.
Not just any phishing, but often COVID-related says another company, McAfee.
Many countries later found themselves inundated with COVID-19 deaths, so why did Spain come out on top?
"In Spain, we are known for solidarity, for helping out during difficult times," said Jose Valiente, director of the Center for Industrial Cybersecurity in Spain.
If the malicious mailing numbers are correct, attackers may be trying to take advantage of people's generosity.
“A person who likes to help, who is generous, can fall into traps more easily because they are more trusting," said Valiente in an interview with Ampere News.
More Top Rankings
Who is number one in the world for infected phones?
Iran, with almost a third of all phones infected with malware.
Who has the most cryptomining attacks?
Tajikistan, where electricity rates are low and crooks feel free to put malware on your phones and computers to mine for cryptocurrency.
Best & Worst Cybersecurity
Who is number one for worst cybersecurity?
Number three is China, number two is Bangladesh, and number one worst is, once again, Tajikistan, also racking up numbers for attackers tricking people out of bank account numbers and passwords.
Who is number one for best cybersecurity?
Third best is Ireland, second best is Sweden, and first is Denmark, with low rates of malware on people's computers.
"In Denmark, there's a lot of focus on cybersecurity," said Søren Maigaard, CEO of the Danish cybersecurity agency EnergiCERT.
Why so little malware?
"In Denmark, piracy of software is almost non-existent," he said in an interview with Ampere News. "And how does that correlate to malware? Well, for one thing, it means that all the systems get updates, patches and so on. It also means that most systems are relatively modern and up to date. So, I think that that's one piece of it."
Ransomware
Who is the number one target in the world for ransomware?
The United States is the one most hit with this malware that can hold files and systems hostage for money, according to cybersecurity company Black Fog.
People had trouble getting gas in part of the U.S. this year and may have paid more for meat after ransomware attacks on essential services like gas and food.
Which country is number one for launching cyberattacks?
It is Russia, a number one source of nation-state attacks, said Microsoft.
This year, Russia named the U.S. as one of the top cyber attackers, according to news reports.
Spam
Who sends the most spam?
It is Russia, sending about one out of 5 spam emails to the rest of the world, according to cybersecurity company Kaspersky.
But the number one safe haven country for spammers is the U.S, according to spam-tracking site Spamhaus, saying the country does not do enough to stop spammers from operating within its borders.
Surveillance
Which country uses facial recognition the most?
A Comparitech survey says it's China, where the government uses it to shame people for things like jaywalking and going outside in your pajamas.
Some estimate 600 million facial recognition cameras in use in China by the end of 2021.
Quality of Life
Finally, what about the overall digital quality of life?
The worst is Ethiopia, with the low-ranking internet quality, internet infrastructure and electronic security, according to VPN service company Surfshark.
Number one is Denmark, which ranks at or near the top of several other cyber lists as well.
"We are one of the most digitized nations in the world," said Maigaard. "Every interaction you have with the government, everything is digitized. We're so used to it now in Denmark. It's strange when I travel to realize that pen and paper is actually still a thing."
