Training is key to defending against attacks

Hopes charitites are gradually combatting cyber crime more effectively are gaining traction as a new report reveals 6% fewer breaches in the sector last year than the year before.

Digital PR agency Reboot Online found that the charity and voluntary sector reported the eighth largest drop of all sectors.

It also reported the fifth-largest overall reduction in incidents at 38. However, placing the sector well below average, just 9% of all breaches were reported within 24 hours.

Overall there was an additional 76 reports in the first three quarters of 2024 - a 190% increase compared to those in 2023.

Some 16% of all reports were made within 24 hours. however just 9% of incidents were reported after one week, placing marketing well above average in this category.

Membership associations saw the second largest growth from 2024, with 84% more reports at 215. These likely include breaches from the Conservative Party after it revealed hundreds of email addresses and UNISON’s personal data breach.

At an increase of 74%, social care reported 266 incidents in 2024 - up from 153 in the first three quarters of 2023. 

The Information Commissionaire's Office received 3,366 reports of phishing between January 2024 and September 2024 – the equivalent of 12 phishing incidents a day. Compared to 2023, it represents a 64% increase in year-on-year phishing incidents. 

In second place there were 362 cases of malware. Despite this, it was an 8% fall from 2023, where there were 395 malware incidences. 

At the other end in sixth place is denial of service, as the ICO was alerted to one occurrence of the attack in 2024, compared to the six reported in 2023.