Connect with us

Technology

Darktrace Half-Year Threat Report 2024 Reveals Persistent Cybercrime-as-a-Service Threats Amidst Evolving Attack Landscape

Published

2 years ago

on

Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) continue to dominate the threat landscapeEmail phishing remains a top threat, with 17.8 million phishing emails detected between December 2023 and July 2024, and 62% bypassing DMARC checks designed to safeguard against unauthorized useEmergence of new threats such as Qilin ransomware and increased exploitation of edge infrastructure vulnerabilities

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Darktrace, a global leader in cybersecurity AI, has today released its “First 6: Half-Year Threat Report 2024,” identifying key threats and attack methods facing businesses across the first half of 2024. These insights, observed by Darktrace’s Threat Research team using its unique Self-Learning AI across its customer fleet, shed light on the persistent nature of cyber threats and new techniques adopted by attackers attempting to sidestep traditional defenses.

“The threat landscape continues to evolve, but new threats often build upon old foundations rather than replacing them. While we have observed the emergence of new malware families, many attacks are carried out by the usual suspects that we have seen over the last few years, still utilizing familiar techniques and malware variants,” comments Nathaniel Jones, Director of Strategic Threat and Engagement at Darktrace. “The persistence of MaaS/RaaS service models alongside the emergence of newer threats like Qilin ransomware underscores the continued need for adaptive, machine learning powered, security measures that can keep pace with a rapidly evolving threat landscape.”

Cybercrime-as-a-Service continues to pose significant risk for organizations

The findings show that cybercrime-as-a-service continues to dominate the threat landscape, with Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) tools making up a significant portion of malicious tools in use by attackers. Cybercrime-as-a-Service groups, such as Lockbit and Black Basta, provide attackers with everything from pre-made malware to templates for phishing emails, lowering the barrier to entry for cybercriminals with limited technical knowledge.

The most common threats Darktrace observed from January to June 2024 were:

Information-stealing malware (29% of early triaged investigations)Trojans (15% of investigated threats)Remote Access Trojans (RATs) (12% of investigated threats)Botnets (6% of investigated threats)Loaders (6% of investigated threats)

The report also reveals the emergence of new threats alongside persistent ones. Notably, the rise of Qilin ransomware, which employs refined tactics such as rebooting infected machines in safe mode to bypass security tools and making it more difficult for human security teams to react quickly.

Per the report, double extortion methods are now prevalent amongst ransomware strains. As ransomware continues to be a top security concern for organizations, Darktrace’s Threat Research Team has identified three predominant ransomware strains impacting customers: Akira, Lockbit and Black Basta. All three have been observed using double extortion methods.

Email phishing and sophisticated evasion tactics rise

Phishing remains a significant threat to organizations. Darktrace detected 17.8 million phishing emails across its customer fleet between December 21, 2023, and July 5, 2024. Alarmingly, 62% of these emails successfully bypassed Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) verification checks which are industry protocols designed to protect email domains from unauthorized use, and 56% passed through all existing security layers.

The report highlights how cybercriminals are embracing more sophisticated tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) designed to evade traditional security parameters. Darktrace observed an increase in attackers leveraging popular, legitimate third-party services and sites, such as Dropbox and Slack, in their operations to blend in with normal network traffic. Additionally, there’s been a spike in the use of covert command and control (C2) mechanisms, including remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, tunneling, and proxy services.

Edge infrastructure compromise and exploitation of critical vulnerabilities are top concerns

Darktrace observed an increase in mass-exploitation of vulnerabilities in edge infrastructure devices, particularly those related to Ivanti Connect Secure, JetBrains TeamCity, FortiClient Enterprise Management Server, and Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS. These compromises often serve as a springboard for further malicious activities.

It is imperative that organizations do not lose sight of existing attack trends and CVEs – cybercriminals may resort to previous, predominately dormant methods to trick organizations. Between January and June, in 40% of cases investigated by the Threat Research team, attackers exploited Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs).

For more in-depth analysis, download the First 6: Half-Year Threat Report 2024 at www.darktrace.com/resources/first-6-half-year-threat-report-2024.

ABOUT DARKTRACE

Darktrace (DARK.L), a global leader in cybersecurity artificial intelligence, is on a mission to free the world from cyber disruption. Breakthrough innovations from our R&D teams in Cambridge, UK, and The Hague, Netherlands have resulted in over 200 patent applications filed. Rather than study historic attacks, Darktrace’s technology continuously learns and updates its knowledge of your business data and applies that understanding to help transform security operations to a state of proactive cyber resilience. The Darktrace ActiveAI Security Platform™ provides a full lifecycle approach to cyber resilience that can autonomously spot and respond to known and unknown in progress threats within seconds across the entire organization, including cloud, apps, email, endpoint, network and operational technology (OT). Darktrace, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021, employs over 2,400 people around the world and protects over 9,700 customers globally from advanced cyber threats. To learn more, visit https://darktrace.com/.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/darktrace-half-year-threat-report-2024-reveals-persistent-cybercrime-as-a-service-threats-amidst-evolving-attack-landscape-302214955.html

SOURCE Darktrace

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Lumeris Partners With Schmitt-Thompson Clinical Content to Advance Tom™ Symptom-Checking Capability with Evidence-Based Telehealth Triage Guidance

Published

16 minutes ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

Partnership strengthens AI-powered symptom checking with trusted clinical content to support more consistent patient guidance and care navigation

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., and CHANDLER, Ariz., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lumeris, a leader in healthcare technology and services, and Schmitt-Thompson Clinical Content (STCC), the leading provider of telehealth triage guidelines and medical call center decision support information in North America, today announced a partnership to integrate STCC’s evidence-based clinical triage content into the symptom-checking capability within Tom™, Lumeris’ AI-powered Primary Care as a Service platform.

The partnership represents the next evolution of Tom’s ability to help care teams extend access, improve patient engagement and deliver more proactive support for individuals with complex health needs. By incorporating STCC’s clinical guidance, Tom’s symptom-checking capability provides healthcare organizations with a stronger clinical foundation for helping patients navigate symptoms between primary care visits while supporting more timely, informed interventions.

Patients with chronic conditions and other complex health needs frequently experience new symptoms, medication concerns or health-related questions between scheduled in-person primary care appointments. Without timely guidance from providers, they may delay care or seek treatment in higher-acuity settings that may not be necessary. Tom’s symptom-checking capability provides an accessible first point of contact, enabling patients and caregivers to report symptoms, ask health-related questions and receive support through natural, conversational interactions while helping care teams identify individuals who may require additional clinical attention.

The integration of STCC’s clinical content strengthens the guidance behind Tom’s symptom-checking experience, helping healthcare organizations deliver more standardized, evidence-based responses to symptom-based questions. By combining conversational patient engagement with trusted clinical decision support, organizations can improve consistency across care settings while helping care teams efficiently assess patient needs and determine appropriate next steps.

“One of the biggest challenges in caring for high-risk populations is making sure patients have access to the right support at the right time,” said Dr. David Carmouche, chief medical and commercial officer, Lumeris. “This partnership strengthens Tom’s role as an active member of the care team by combining conversational patient engagement with trusted clinical guidance. Together, we’re helping organizations deliver more consistent symptom assessment, streamline clinical workflows and support safer, more timely interventions.”

Following each symptom-checking interaction, Tom generates a structured summary along with recommended prioritization guidance to help care teams quickly assess patient needs and determine the most appropriate next actions. The capability complements clinical workflows rather than replaces them, allowing organizations to extend support beyond traditional care settings while maintaining appropriate clinical oversight.

The partnership further advances Lumeris’ vision for Tom as an intelligent extension of the primary care team, combining AI-powered patient engagement, evidence-based clinical guidance and care team workflows to help healthcare organizations improve access, enhance patient experiences and deliver more proactive, coordinated care.

“We’re excited to partner with Lumeris to bring our gold-standard clinical triage guidance to the Tom platform,” said Patty Maynard, chief operating officer, STCC. “Together, we’re enabling healthcare organizations to deliver symptom-checking experiences that combine conversational technology with evidence-based clinical decision support, helping patients receive more consistent guidance while supporting care teams with trusted recommendations they can confidently act on.”

About Lumeris
Lumeris is a leader in healthcare technology and services advancing the future of primary care through Tom, its AI-powered Primary Care as a Service platform designed to function as a proactive member of the care team embedded directly in clinical workflows. Tom autonomously supports best next actions that help providers expand capacity, improve patient access, and reduce administrative burden while enabling more personalized, scalable care delivery. Built on more than two decades of primary care and value-based care experience, Tom reflects Lumeris’ deep experience supporting health systems and physician organizations nationwide and operating Essence Healthcare, its leading Medicare Advantage plan. Founded in 2010, Lumeris is headquartered in St. Louis and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company employs more than 1,200 engineers, clinicians, and healthcare specialists. Learn more at Lumeris.com.

About Schmitt-Thompson Clinical Content
Schmitt-Thompson Clinical Content (STCC) is the leading source of telehealth triage guidelines and medical call center decision support information in North America. STCC provides the most comprehensive triage and advice content, spanning the continuum of delivery: After Hours, used by hospitals, health systems and insurance companies and Office Hours, used in practices and clinics. Schmitt-Thompson Clinical Content is the ‘gold standard’ in telephone triage, offering evidence-based, efficient and time-tested decision support. It is used by more than 400 health systems and health plans and an additional 10,000 physician practices. Learn more: http://www.stcc-triage.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lumeris-partners-with-schmitt-thompson-clinical-content-to-advance-tom-symptom-checking-capability-with-evidence-based-telehealth-triage-guidance-302829780.html

SOURCE Lumeris

Continue Reading

Technology

NorthRock Partners Expands Minneapolis Presence with Addition of Kowalski Financial, Strengthening National Growth Strategy

Published

16 minutes ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

The partnership expands NorthRock’s Personal Office® model in its hometown of Minneapolis while bringing additional expertise and resources to Kowalski Financial’s clients.

MINNEAPOLIS, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NorthRock Partners (NorthRock), a financial advice firm redefining the wealth management experience through its Personal Office® model, announced today that Kowalski Financial (Kowalski) has joined NorthRock. The partnership brings over $200 million in assets under management (AUM) and five team members, strengthening NorthRock’s growing presence in Minneapolis, MN.

Headquartered in Minneapolis, NorthRock has grown into a national advisory firm by expanding what a single client relationship can include. Its Personal Office® model builds a dedicated, customized team around each client to coordinate investments, tax, estate planning, insurance, legal, business services, and philanthropy in one place, staying alongside clients as their lives change. Each firm that joins NorthRock adds depth to that team and extends the model to more families.

Kowalski Financial brings an experienced team, a strong commitment to client relationships, and a shared belief in delivering personalized, long-term financial advice. Through this partnership, Kowalski advisors will gain access to the full depth of NorthRock’s Personal Office® specialists, expanding the advice and resources available to their clients.

“From the first conversations with Marc and the Kowalski team, it was clear they care deeply about their clients and about doing things the right way,” said Cam Rosenow, Head of Growth at NorthRock Partners. “That matters to us. This partnership is a strong fit because it brings together a team with real client relationships, a shared advice-first mindset, and the ability to plug into the depth of NorthRock’s Personal Office® model. We’re excited to welcome them into our Minneapolis office and build together from here.”

Founded in 2019, Kowalski Financial provided multidisciplinary financial planning services, including estate planning and tax services. The firm adds a talented group of advisors and professionals who share NorthRock’s commitment to helping clients navigate both financial decisions and life transitions.

“Joining NorthRock represents an exciting opportunity for our team and the clients we serve,” said Marc Kowalski, CEO at Kowalski Financial. “We have always believed that great advice starts with understanding the full picture of a client’s goals, values, and priorities. NorthRock’s Personal Office® model provides an expanded platform of expertise and resources that will allow us to continue delivering the personalized guidance our clients expect while enhancing the services available to them.”

The addition of Kowalski Financial reinforces the continued momentum behind NorthRock’s growth strategy and Personal Office® model. As advisors and families seek more coordinated approaches to wealth management, NorthRock continues to partner with firms that share its commitment to delivering customized, comprehensive advice. Furthermore, the Kowalski team will relocate to NorthRock Partners’ offices in downtown Minneapolis.

About NorthRock Partners
NorthRock Partners is a financial advice company serving more than 6,000 clients and managing over $12 billion in assets. For more than 30 years, NorthRock has placed clients’ financial and life needs at the center through its Personal Office® model. This integrated approach builds a dedicated, customized team around each advisor and enables them to coordinate all aspects of a client’s life, including investments, tax, insurance, estate, legal, business strategies, lifestyle, and philanthropy. NorthRock is recognized as one of Barron’s Top 100 RIAs in the United States. The firm also offers specialized divisions that include NorthRock X for athletes and entertainers and Foundation X for philanthropic advice and services. Learn more at www.northrockpartners.com.

Disclosures:
All investment advisory and Personal Office® services are provided by and through NorthRock Partners LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

NorthRock Partners was recognized in Barron’s Top 100 RIAs in September 2025. The ranking was determined by Barron’s using criteria including AUM growth, employee growth, proprietary data and the number of advisors considered for evaluation. NorthRock Partners did not pay a fee to be considered for or included in the ranking. Additional information regarding the ranking methodology is available from Barron’s.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/northrock-partners-expands-minneapolis-presence-with-addition-of-kowalski-financial-strengthening-national-growth-strategy-302830371.html

SOURCE NorthRock Partners

Continue Reading

Technology

Compass, Inc. to Announce Second Quarter Results on August 4

Published

16 minutes ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

NEW YORK, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Compass, Inc., d/b/a Compass International Holdings (the “Company”) (NYSE: COMP), a global real estate services company, announced its second quarter 2026 financial results will be released after market close on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The Company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its results that afternoon at 5:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. PT.

Call details are as follows:

The conference call and shareholder presentation will be accessible online via the Company’s Investor Relations website, https://investors.compass.com.You can also register in advance to access the live conference call at: Compass Inc. Q2 26 Earnings Conference Call.An audio recording of the conference call will be available for replay shortly after the call, for 90 days. To access the replay and shareholder presentation, visit the Events and Presentations section of the Company’s Investor Relations website.

About Compass, Inc., d/b/a Compass International Holdings

Compass, Inc., d/b/a Compass International Holdings (the “Company”) (NYSE: COMP) is a global real estate services company with a presence in every major U.S. city and approximately 120 countries and territories. Compass International Holdings serves millions of buyers and sellers through a portfolio of some of the most recognized and iconic brands: @properties, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Christie’s International Real Estate, Coldwell Banker®, Compass, Corcoran®, ERA®, and Sotheby’s International Realty®. Every day, the Company empowers a global network of more than 300,000 real estate professionals in its owned-brokerage and franchise business to grow and deliver exceptional service to consumers.

The Company empowers real estate professionals to streamline operations and seamlessly guide clients through every phase of residential and commercial transactions, leveraging powerful tools, including its modern technology platform. In addition to brokerage services, Compass International Holdings offers integrated services, such as mortgage, title, insurance, escrow, and relocation.

The Company uses its Investor Relations website, https://investors.compass.com, to disclose information that may be of interest or material to its investors and to comply with disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Company’s Investor Relations website and follow the Company’s press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, webcasts, and social media.

Investor Relations Contact
Soham Bhonsle
soham.bhonsle@compass.com

Media Contact
Devin Daly Huerta
Devin.daly@compass.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/compass-inc-to-announce-second-quarter-results-on-august-4-302830274.html

SOURCE Compass, Inc.

Continue Reading

Trending