A new report by Atlas VPN has shown that in 2020, devices with Windows operating systems were affected by over 111 million malware infections.
The report analysed by the Atlas VPN Team, also indicate that 83% or nearly 92.3 million Windows malware infections were found on consumer devices, while 15% or 16.7 million were discovered on business devices.
Meanwhile, Windows malware detections in 2020 actually dropped by 12% compared to 2019. This, the COO of Atlas VPN, Rachel Welch attributes to the decline in Windows malware infections, which might signify that cybercriminals have found other more effective methods to exploit victims online.
In all, HackTool malware saw the biggest increase in detections out of all malware types last year; it spiked by 150%, from 7.4 million in 2019 to 18.4 million in 2020.
Other malware types that saw a surge last year include Rogue (117%) and Spyware (28%). Adware, however, was the most common Windows malware and accounted for 32% or 35.5 million Windows malware cases in 2020, a 22% drop from 45.7 million in 2019.
Malware is a malicious software designed to disrupt, damage or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. It is one of the most common cyber threats computer users face today. While malware can affect any operating system, Windows users are among the most vulnerable.