Information security and cyber crime in Russia - statistics & facts
Russia is the major source of phishing attacks around the globe. In 2023, it accounted for over 30 percent of total unsolicited spam e-mails. Within one day, over seven billion spam e-mails were sent from Russia as of January 16, 2023, which was the fifth-highest number worldwide. Furthermore, domestic users faced an increasing number of cyber threats, such as data breaches, malware attacks, and digital fraud cases, in recent years. The end-user spending on information security solutions was forecast to increase to 132 billion Russian rubles in 2025.
With Russian users increasingly facing data breaches and key Western providers of information security solutions having exited the country, the domestic industry is expected to develop tools to substitute imports in the following years.
What is the state of cybercrime in Russia?
Around one-fifth of personal computers in Russia were facing at least one malware attack, and every 10th computer was attacked by phishing on a yearly basis. Most data leaks in the country involved the loss of personal information, such as names, emails, addresses, individual insurance account numbers, etc. Other types of exposed data points included trade and state secrets. In 2023, the number of Russian accounts breached online exceeded 78 million, which was the second-highest figure after the United States.Russia's information security software market leaders
Russia headquarters Kaspersky Lab, whose antivirus and endpoint security as well as other services are marketed worldwide. In 2022, Kaspersky Lab's global revenue exceeded 752 million U.S. dollars. The second-highest earning enterprise is Softline, the Moscow-founded provider operating in Eastern Europe, the Americas, and Asia, which offers a wide range of IT services, including cybersecurity solutions. It is followed by the Citadel company group, which is the country's largest producer of lawful interception systems.Russia-Ukraine war impact on information security in Russia
Following the invasion of Ukraine that started in February 2022, Russian state authorities reported an increase in cyber attacks targeting them. Public institutions were banned from purchasing security software for critical infrastructure from abroad from 2025. Several web security providers, such as Avast and DigiCert, left the Russian market. Furthermore, in March 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. added Kaspersky Lab to the list of companies that could present a threat to the country's national security. The Russian government banned social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, leading to an increased interest in VPN tools among users.With Russian users increasingly facing data breaches and key Western providers of information security solutions having exited the country, the domestic industry is expected to develop tools to substitute imports in the following years.
