Education, telecoms, and agriculture most targeted as global cyberattacks surge in August, up 10% YoY: Check Point report

Africa saw the highest weekly cyberattacks at 3,239 per organisation despite a 3% decline, while Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America reported rising volumes, with ransomware driving a 20% surge in the U.S. alone

Despite a slight 1% dip from July, cyberattacks on organisations worldwide remained alarmingly high in August 2025, averaging 1,994 attacks per organisation each week. This marks a 10% increase compared to the same period last year, according to Check Point Research’s latest Global Threat Intelligence Report. The findings suggest that while the threat has plateaued slightly, the broader trend points to escalating cyber risks for critical sectors and global infrastructure.

Education, telecoms, and agriculture in the crosshairs

The education sector was again the most targeted globally, suffering an average of 4,178 weekly attacks per organisation — a 13% rise year-over-year. Analysts attribute this vulnerability to increased digitisation and traditionally weak cybersecurity budgets, which make schools and universities attractive to cybercriminals.

Telecommunications companies followed closely, experiencing 2,992 weekly attacks, a 28% surge year-over-year. Given their role as critical infrastructure and gateways to both enterprise and consumer data, telecoms are high-value targets. Government institutions also remained in the spotlight, with 2,634 weekly attacks (+3% YoY), while the agriculture sector saw the most dramatic rise — up 101% compared to August 2024. Agriculture’s growing use of IoT devices, drones, and connected systems has significantly widened its attack surface.

Geographically, Africa faced the highest average volume of attacks at 3,239 per week, though this marked a slight 3% decline. Asia-Pacific (2,877 weekly, +2%) and Latin America (2,865 weekly, +6%) reported high volumes, largely due to rapid digitisation and inconsistent cybersecurity investment. North America experienced a 20% YoY increase to 1,480 weekly attacks, with ransomware driving the surge. The U.S. alone accounted for over half of global ransomware cases.

Ransomware surge led by Qilin and Akira

Ransomware incidents jumped 14% globally, with 531 reported cases in August. North America bore the brunt, with 57% of attacks, followed by Europe at 24%. The hardest-hit industries were industrial manufacturing (13.6%), business services (11.9%), and construction (10.4%).

Ransomware groups such as Qilin, Akira, and Inc. Ransom led the attacks, the latter notably targeting healthcare and education. Omer Dembinsky, Data Research Manager at Check Point Research, emphasised the need for a “prevention-first, AI-powered strategy,” warning that without real-time protection, organisations will remain vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated threats.