Study Warns of Global Systemic Breach
A joint report from CyberCube and Munich Re warns of the devastating impact a catastrophic cyber event could have on global infrastructure. According to the study, a global malware campaign could infect up to 25% of the world’s computer systems, with 15% fully compromised. It also highlights that a major cloud provider outage could last up to 72 hours, potentially costing businesses about 1% of their annual revenue per day of disruption. These findings raise serious concerns about the vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure that underpin modern economies.
The study, based on input from 93 cyber-risk executives, emphasizes the growing risk posed by emerging technologies—particularly Internet of Things (IoT) devices and large language models. As organizations become more interconnected and reliant on cloud environments, the potential for a single event to cascade into widespread disruption becomes more plausible. The report points to past incidents like WannaCry and NotPetya as historical precedents, noting that similarly scaled events are increasingly likely in today’s landscape.
To mitigate these risks, the report recommends that organizations strengthen their cyber hygiene practices. This includes rigorous patch management, robust data backup protocols, and strong network segmentation to prevent malware from spreading laterally. When implemented effectively, these measures could reduce the damage of a widespread infection by as much as 80%. As the cyber threat landscape evolves, the report serves as a call to action for both enterprises and insurers to better prepare for systemic digital shocks.
Jones, David. 2025. “Catastrophic Cyber Event Could Cause Widespread Disruptions to Global Infrastructure, Study Suggests.” Cybersecurity Dive. July 15.
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