Kaspersky detects around 500,000 malicious files daily in 2025

ISLAMABAD: A leading cyber security company detected around 500,000 malicious files per day in 2025, marking a 7 percent increase compared to the previous year. Kaspersky’s detection systems discovered that certain types of threats saw growth globally – there was a 59 percent surge in password stealer detections, a 51 percent growth in spyware detections and a 6 percent growth in backdoor detections compared to 2024.

Windows remains the primary target for cyberattacks. 48 percent of users on Windows were targeted by different types of threats throughout 2025. For Mac users, this figure stands at 29 percent, the company report said.

Globally, 27 percent of users were attacked with web threats – these refer to malware that targets users when they are online. Web threats are not limited to online activity, but ultimately involve the internet at some stage for inflicted harm. In Latin America, 26 percent of users were attacked by web threats in 2025, while this share reached 25 percent in Africa, 21 percent in Europe and 19 percent in the Middle East.

Around 33 percent of users were attacked with on-device threats. These include malware that is spread via removable USB drives, CDs and DVDs, or that initially makes its way onto the computer in non-open form (for example, programmes in complex installers, encrypted files, etc.).

Africa headed the rating with 41 percent of users attacked with this type of threat; APAC reached 33 percent, Middle East – 32 percent, Latin America – 30 percent, and Europe 20 percent.

To stay protected, individual users should not download and install applications from untrusted sources. Do not click on any links from unknown sources or suspicious online advertisements and always use two-factor authentication when available. Always install updates when they become available; they contain fixes for critical security issues, the report added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025