Kaspersky revealed that nearly one in three computer users in India we targeted by on-device attacks, as cybercriminals continue to leverage removable media to infiltrate systems.
According to the report, nearly 1 in every 3 (29.8%) users in India encountered local, on-device threats last year.
The findings are based on data from the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN). KSN processes cybersecurity-related data streams from millions of voluntary participants using Kaspersky products to deliver insights into the global and regional cyberthreat landscape.
Despite growing awareness around cybersecurity, computer users in India continued to face significant risks from offline threats delivered via USB drives, removable media and other on-device sources. In total, Kaspersky products detected 64,631,897 local incidents on the computers of KSN participants in the country during 2025. This places India among the top 80 countries affected globally in terms of local cyber threat exposure.
Globally, malicious attacks increased by 7% in 2025 compared to 2024. Kaspersky products discovered nearly 500,000 malicious files daily in 2025, underscoring the scale and industrialization of cybercrime. Detection systems also recorded a 59% surge in password stealer detections and a 51% increase in spyware detections worldwide. Additionally, cyberthreats mimicking popular AI tools surged during the year, reflecting how attackers are exploiting the rapid adoption of AI platforms.
"Malware concealed in encrypted files and complex installers continued to pose a significant threat to computer users in 2025. In APAC, we saw a considerable increase in attacks by spyware and password stealers malicious files that infiltrate users' computers, giving cybercriminals the ability to remotely send, receive, execute and delete files, and harvest confidential data from the victim's device," said Adrian Hia, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky.
"As remote and hybrid work environments have become normalized, cybercriminals is persistent in exploiting the removable devices and tools people rely on every day. In 2025, our researchers even found out that attackers are mimicking popular collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and Google Drive to trick users into downloading malware ultimately stealing login credentials, banking information, and sensitive personal data," he added.
Kaspersky continues to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and resilience initiatives across India, supporting both individual users and organizations in improving their cyber hygiene and preparedness against evolving threats.
To stay protected, follow the cyber safety recommendations by Kaspersky security experts:
Individual users:
Do not download and install applications from untrusted sources
Do not click on any links from unknown sources or suspicious online advertisements
Always use two-factor authentication when available. Create strong and unique passwords, using a mix of lower-case and upper-case letters, numbers, and punctuation. Use a reliable password manager to help you remember them
Always install updates when they become available; they contain fixes for critical security issues
Ignore messages asking to disable security systems for the office or cybersecurity software
Use a robust security solution appropriate to your system type and devices, such as Kaspersky Premium
Organizations:
Always keep software updated on all the devices you use to prevent attackers from infiltrating your network by exploiting vulnerabilities
Do not expose remote desktop services (such as RDP) to public networks unless necessary, and always use strong passwords for them
Use advanced Kaspersky Next security products for comprehensive visibility across all the companyโs corporate infrastructure to rapidly hunt out, prioritize, investigate, and neutralize complex threats and APT-like attacks
Use the latest Threat Intelligence information to stay aware of actual TTPs used by threat actors
Back up corporate data regularly. Backups should be isolated from the network. Make sure you can quickly access the backups in an emergency if needed
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