Bryony Benfield, of Journo Research, called our attention to a recent study on cybercrime that she thought would be of interest to readers of The Green Sheet.
"A new study conducted by mobile and telecommunication experts NetworkBuildz, networkbuildz.com, determined the states most at risk of cyberattacks in 2024," she wrote. "The research examined each annual FBI Internet Crime Report from 2018 to 2022 to collate the number of cyber-attacks in each state over [those] five years, which were then compared by 100,000 people to reveal the states most susceptible to cybercrime."
The study found that Nevada residents are at the highest risk of cybercrime. Nevada experienced its highest occurrence of cybercrimes in 2021, with a total of 17,706 cyberattacks. Between 2018 and 2022, the state recorded 54,515 total cyberattacks, which equates to 1,756 attacks per 100,000 people and correlates to a total victim loss of $320,052,803.
Alaska placed next in the ranking, with a total of 8,453 reported cyber-attacks between 2018-2022, resulting in 1,153 cyberattacks per 100,000 people. Victim losses amounted to $50,511,484 in Alaska between 2018-2022.
Third on the list, Maryland saw 58,627 cyberattacks between 2018 and 2022, which equates to 951 attacks per 100,000 people, with a victim loss of $479,475,435. Maryland experienced its highest occurrence of cybercrimes in 2020, with a total of 14,804 recorded crimes.
These findings stress the financial dangers of cybercrime, Benfield noted, highlighting the importance of staying informed about the latest scams, best online practices, and necessary precautions to help reduce the risks of cybercrime. Seven of the top 10 states experienced the highest number of cybercrimes in 2020, she said, adding that this suggests 2020 was a particularly detrimental year for cyber-attacks, possibly due to the vulnerable state of the global landscape due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
What precautions is your company taking to protect payment and other sensitive data from criminal intrusion? What technologies are most helpful? Might technologies now in development provide even stronger protection? Share your thoughts on this and on other compelling industry concerns at greensheet@greensheet.com. 
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