India hit by 265 million cyberattacks: Seqrite’s 2026 report warns of escalating threats

Seqrite’s India Cyber Threat Report 2026, developed by Seqrite Labs, reveals a year marked by extraordinary escalation in the scale and tempo of cyberattacks. Between October 2024 and September 2025, India recorded more than 265 million threat detections across eight million monitored endpoints, translating to 7.27 lakh detections per day and 505 detections every minute. Trojans and File Infectors accounted for nearly 70 per cent of all attacks, reinforcing their dominance in high-volume automated campaigns.

Next-generation antivirus and anti-ransomware systems observed over 34 million anomalous activities, while ransomware incidents reached their peak in January 2025. Cryptojacking detections crossed 6.5 million, and attackers made 9.2 million attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in commonly used software stacks including WordPress plugins, Apache Tomcat and SysAid.

Geographical distribution shows Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi as the most targeted states, with Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata emerging as the focal cities of attack activity. Education, Healthcare and Manufacturing represented nearly half of all detections, underscoring their vulnerability due to high data value and operational constraints.

Gaps in Response, Configuration and Hygiene

The accompanying India Cybersecurity Preparedness 2026 Survey highlights significant disparities between adoption and readiness. While advanced malware protection and backup strategies show strong uptake, critical weaknesses persist in incident response, secure configuration, and asset hygiene. India’s shared maturity score of 6.37/10 signals a widening gap between evolving threats and organisational preparedness.

The combination of high-risk exposure and operational dependence on digital systems is driving demand for structured, reliable recovery solutions, particularly as organisations struggle with the economic and reputational consequences of disruptions.

Seqrite Introduces New Services to Tackle an Intensifying Crisis

Ransomware Recovery as a Service (RRaaS)

Seqrite’s Ransomware Recovery as a Service aims to transform ransomware response from ad-hoc crisis management into structured, forensic-grade restoration. The service blends cryptanalysis, custom tooling and isolated workflows to recover encrypted files safely while preventing reinfection. The approach is designed to help enterprises resume operations confidently without reliance on ransom payment or compromised systems.

Digital Risk Protection Services (DRPS)

The newly launched Digital Risk Protection Services extend security beyond the IT perimeter, monitoring for brand impersonation, counterfeit listings, domain spoofing, fake accounts and misuse of intellectual property. The ML-driven platform conducts continuous scanning across the surface web, marketplaces, social platforms and dark web forums. A dedicated war room coordinates takedowns, escalations and crisis handling, ensuring swift risk mitigation.

Leadership Commentary

Dr. Sanjay Katkar, Joint MD from Quick Heal Technologies, said:
“India's cybersecurity landscape stands at a critical juncture today, facing unprecedented risks. The India Cyber Threat Report 2026 is aimed at providing policymakers, enterprises, and citizens with the intelligence needed to understand evolving threats and engage in proactive cybersecurity practices. The launch of Seqrite DRPS will empower organisations to extend their defensive posture beyond firewalls and traditional perimeter security, as brand reputation, data integrity, and customer trust are continuously tested. We are also introducing Seqrite RRaaS to transform ransomware recovery from crisis management into structured, expert-led operations with zero ransom dependency. These initiatives reinforce our commitment to equipping organisations with state-of-the-art tools and insights to safeguard digital assets, preserve trust, and maintain operational resilience in an increasingly hostile threat environment.”

Partner Enablement in a Complex Threat Environment

Dr Lalit Mohan, Chief Product Officer, Quick Heal Technologies, added that Seqrite continues to equip partners through structured training, capability validation and controlled testing cycles, ensuring they are well prepared to deploy solutions effectively and respond to complex incidents with confidence.

A Broader Shift in India’s Cyber Risk Trajectory

Seqrite’s report suggests a decisive shift in India’s threat ecosystem. As ransomware syndicates, cybercriminal groups and state-aligned actors grow more strategic and data-driven, hybrid campaigns, such as Operation Sindoor, demonstrate the fusion of financial, political and ideological motivations. The report also includes a detailed analysis of APT activities, zero-day vulnerabilities, key malware families and predicted attack vectors for 2026. With 14 of the 20 predictions from the previous edition proving correct, Seqrite reinforces its position as a leading forecaster of emerging cyber trends.

The forward-looking guidance emphasises visibility, identity-centric security, AI hardening, automated patching and resilience frameworks. Organisations that approach cybersecurity as a strategic infrastructure and balance automation with governance will be best prepared to withstand the growing complexity of autonomous and high-speed threats.

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