According to Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report, India has become the primary target of Lumma Stealer malware, with over 44,000 Windows devices infected between March and May 2025. Due to an increase in identity-based attacks and North Korean IT personnel infiltration, the nation is ranked eighth in the world for total cyber threat exposure.
What the Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report says
- India recorded the most Windows devices infected with the infostealer malware “LummaStealer” between March 16 and May 16, 2025—44,197 devices—surpassing Russia (40,868), Brazil (21,137), and the United States (15,647), according to Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report 2025.
- India accounted for about 2.3% of all incidents worldwide during the January–June 2025 period, placing it eighth in the world for the impact of cyberthreats on customers. At about 24.8%, the United States was the top nation.
- The Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report notes that nation-state-affiliated activities (such as those from North Korea) also target India, and identity-based attacks increased by about 32% during that time.
- According to Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report , attackers are taking advantage of supply chains, remote work situations, AI-enabled phishing, and infostealers, which steal credentials.
Why Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report is significant
- India’s ranking at the top of the malware-infection list indicates that it is increasingly becoming a target for cybercriminals both locally and internationally.
- India is severely affected, but other nations still have a higher percentage of incidents, ranking eighth overall in terms of cyber threat exposure. This could have an impact on how the risk is perceived and prioritized.
- The malware strain’s designation as an “infostealer” implies that the threat is more related to credential compromise, access, lateral movement, and data extraction than it is to widespread ransomware attacks, though those are important.
- This is particularly pertinent to your article because of the convergence of AI-enabled attacks, remote work, and the proliferation of mobile and endpoint devices, all of which are prevalent in India.
What is Malware?
- Malware is malicious software created especially to damage computers and computer networks.
- On the other hand, software bugs are often used to describe software that inadvertently causes harm.
- A wide range of internet dangers, including viruses, spyware, adware, ransomware, and other malicious software, are collectively referred to as malware.
- Malware can infiltrate a network through flash drives, malicious attachments, malicious downloads, phishing, or social engineering. It only takes one employee’s inadvertent click for the malware to install itself and start running its program.
- In addition, supply chain attacks will inevitably rise as more companies digitize and use IoT devices.
How Does Malware Spread?
- Email: If your email has been compromised, malware may compel your computer to send emails that contain malicious attachments or links to websites. When the recipient clicks the link or opens the attachment, the malware is installed on their computer, and the cycle continues.
- Hackers have the ability to infect USB flash drives with malware before waiting for gullible people to connect them to their PCs. Corporate espionage commonly employs this technique.
- Pop-up alerts: These include phony security alerts that trick you into downloading phony security software, which sometimes includes additional malware.
- Vulnerabilities: Malware can gain unauthorized access to a computer, hardware, or network when software has a security flaw.
- Backdoors are deliberate or inadvertent weaknesses in networks, hardware, software, or system security.
Conclusion
India’s ascent to the top of the global malware infection chart demonstrates the country’s rapidly expanding digital footprint as well as its growing appeal to cybercriminals. Although India’s ranking eighth in terms of overall cyber threat exposure may suggest some containment, the sheer volume of malware infections, particularly from infostealers like Lumma Stealer, shows that attackers are increasingly exploiting the country’s large user base, remote-work infrastructure, and evolving digital ecosystems.
As cloud computing, mobile connectivity, and artificial intelligence gain traction across all industries, India’s cybersecurity readiness must advance at the same pace. The Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report serves as both a warning and a roadmap: if identity protection, endpoint security, and user awareness are not prioritized, the gap between innovation and protection will only widen. To safeguard India’s digital future, it is now imperative to increase cyber resilience.
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