India faces an unprecedented cybersecurity crisis, according to the newly released India Cyber Threat Report 2025 by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and Seqrite. The numbers are staggering: over 369 million malware detections across 8.44 million devices between October 2023 and September 2024. This translates to 702 potential security threats every single minute—roughly 11 new cyberattacks emerging every second somewhere across the country.
Trojans and File Infectors Dominate the Threat Landscape
Two major threats heavily dominate the malware ecosystem in India. Trojans account for 43% of all detections (140.48 million cases), disguising themselves as legitimate software to trick users into granting backdoor access. File infectors follow closely at 34% (110.75 million detections), corrupting system files and spreading by attaching to legitimate programs. Together, these two categories represent over three-quarters of all malware attacks.
The Rise of Intelligent Detection
A concerning trend is emerging in how malware is detected. Behavior-based detection has jumped from 12.5% to 14.5%, signaling that cybercriminals are creating increasingly sophisticated malware designed to evade traditional signature-based security systems. This evolution means attackers are staying one step ahead, developing threats that conventional methods can’t catch.
Healthcare and Cloud Environments Under Attack
The healthcare sector bears the heaviest burden, accounting for 21.82% of all attacks—likely due to the high value of medical data and the critical nature of healthcare systems. Hospitality (19.57%) and banking (17.38%) sectors also face intense targeting. Meanwhile, cloud environments have become the new battlefield, with 62% of all detections occurring in cloud-based systems, reflecting India’s rapid digital transformation.
Geography Reveals Surprising Patterns
While tech hubs like Telangana (15.03%) and Tamil Nadu (12%) remain primary targets, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting Tier 2 cities. Surat leads the nation with 69.34 detections per endpoint, suggesting attackers are expanding beyond traditional targets and possibly exploiting less robust cyber defenses in smaller towns.
The Human Factor Remains Critical
Perhaps most alarming is the finding that 73% of organizations surveyed are unaware of whether they’ve ever been attacked, while 57% lack basic cyber hygiene practices. Social engineering attacks—including phishing, vishing, and smishing—top the list of observed threats, underscoring that human vulnerability remains the weakest link in cybersecurity.
Looking Ahead
The report predicts that in 2025, AI-driven attacks will dominate the landscape, with cybercriminals leveraging generative AI to create more adaptive threats. The convergence of ransomware evolution, supply chain vulnerabilities, and geopolitical tensions means India must urgently strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure to protect its growing digital economy.
