60 Percent Of Kiwi Consumer Data Found On Dark Web

Sydney, Australia 28 March 2023 - Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704) has released its 2022 Annual Cybersecurity Roundup report which reveals that 60% of Trend Micro's Kiwi Identity Protection users were notified that their data was found on the Dark Web, with email being the most common piece of information found in a breach.

The report highlights the prevalence of identity theft and the importance of data protection, which a had significant impact in 2022, following various high-profile breaches. Trend Micro saw a staggering 55% increase in overall blocked threats compared to 2021, with a record 146 billion threats blocked globally. Blocked malicious files also surged by 242%, surpassing 60 billion. Mobile threats remained steady with 36 million malicious apps blocked.

The report indicates that anything connected to the internet is at risk, including smart TVs, which can serve as gateways to anything connected to the home network. New Zealand experienced 206 attacks per connected household in 2022 - over one attack every two days - highlighting the need for heightened cybersecurity measures across the entire home network.

"The threat landscape is constantly evolving, and 2022 was no exception," said Tim Falinski, VP of Consumer Business at Trend Micro, AMEA. "Our 2022 Annual Cybersecurity Roundup report shows that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, and their attacks are becoming more targeted and destructive. With the continued rise of cyber threats, it's essential for individuals to stay informed about the latest threats, be suspicious of phishing emails and links, and use anti-virus software to help protect from potential threats."

The report also emphasises that home users should not forget the basics of cybersecurity, as clicks on malicious links remained high. In New Zealand alone, 18,532,081 clicks on malicious URLs were blocked.

The local findings reveal:

New Zealand

9,613,966 email threats blocked

18,532,081 blocked clicks on malicious URLs

19,988,445 malware detections

132,192 malicious apps blocked (10th in world)

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro's cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organisations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defence techniques optimised for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organisations to simplify and secure their connected world. www.TrendMicro.com.

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