2021 Global Threat Report: Analyzing a Year of Chaos and Courage

CrowdStrike's 2021 Global Threat Report provides an in-depth analysis of the cybersecurity landscape during a year marked by significant challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The report highlights how remote work environments created vulnerabilities that cybercriminals and state-sponsored adversaries exploited, with notable incidents including the theft of vaccine research data and the evolution of ransomware tactics to incorporate extortion. CrowdStrike emphasizes the importance of visibility and speed in cybersecurity responses, urging security teams to adopt more proactive and versatile strategies. The company is committed to enhancing security measures across cloud and on-premises systems, improving identity protection, and integrating Zero Trust capabilities to minimize risks to sensitive information. The report serves as a resource for understanding recent adversarial tactics and provides recommendations for strengthening defenses against emerging threats.