India sees 72 % surge in spyware attack on local businesses: Kaspersky

Cybercriminals use malware-laced applications to silently infiltrate systems and steal sensitive data from corporate firms across sectors, including Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance.

Indian cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi have a high concentration of not just domestic startups but also a large number of MNCs offering services to companies and government agencies worldwide.

With such a big ecosystem of companies, threat actors are actively targeting Indian businesses for ransom and also to destabilise the economy.

As per Kaspersky, India saw a whopping 369,445 spyware attacks on Indian organisations in 2025, marking a significant 72 per cent year-on-year increase compared to 214,407 detections the previous year.

Besides brute force hacking attempts, cybercriminals use malware-laced applications to silently infiltrate systems and steal sensitive data from the corporate firms across sectors, including Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) in addition to government facilities.

India has more than 100 crore internet users, but most people are naive and ignorant of cyber threats. They venture too deep in darknet, shady websites and unknowingly download apps without proper verification. One of the prime reasons for the company's computers or network getting hacked is due to the lack of digital hygiene among employees. They don't follow protocols such as having two-factor authentication, or use Passkeys, instead having the same predictable password for multiple accounts. It hardly takes a few minutes for the hackers to crack the passcode and take over the online accounts.

"Spyware is one of the most dangerous threats against Indian businesses today, precisely because it works in silence. By the time an organisation realises it has been compromised, sensitive data, strategic decisions, and corporate intelligence may already be in the hands of adversaries. India's rapid digital expansion, its thriving IT and start-up ecosystem, and the accelerating digitisation of critical sectors like BFSI, manufacturing, and government services make it a high-value target. A spyware incident is no longer just a security failure, it is a regulatory and reputational crisis that can have lasting consequences on business continuity and stakeholder trust. Organisations in India must move beyond reactive defences and adopt intelligence-led, AI-powered security solutions that can detect and disrupt threats before data is compromised," said Jaydeep Singh, General Manager for India, Kaspersky.

Here are tips on how to safeguard the company's network and devices from cyber threats such as spyware:

1) Never click any link shared in emails or messages sent by unknown people. Even if your friend or a family relative sends a website link showing a lucrative deal on an e-commerce website, be wary of such URLs as well. It is best to visit the official website and then look for the deals.

2) Never install apps from third-party platforms. Always download apps from official digital marketplaces such as Google Play, Apple App Store, and Windows Store.

3) Before installing an app, make a habit of reading the reviews. There will always be tell-tale signs of whether the app really works as mentioned in the descriptions or just fake promises. Previous app users will definitely tell if it is a worthy one or look for an alternative app.

4) Corporate companies should regularly conduct workshops for employees and help them develop digital hygiene.

5) Always keep software updated on all the devices you use to prevent attackers from infiltrating your network by exploiting vulnerabilities.

6) To be on the safer side, install an anti-virus app in the system.

7) Do not expose remote desktop services (such as RDP: Remote Desktop Protocol) to public networks unless absolutely necessary, and always use strong passwords for them.

8) Companies should regularly back up corporate data. And ensure the backups are isolated from the network. Make sure you can quickly access the backups in an emergency if needed.

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