Cloudflare’s 2024 Year in Review report revealed significant growth in Internet usage and evolving cybersecurity threats, reports SiliconAngle.
Global Internet traffic increased by 17.4%, with Google as the most popular Internet service. OpenAI emerged as the leading generative artificial intelligence provider, while WhatsApp, Binance, and Facebook led in messaging, cryptocurrency, and social media, respectively.
When it came to mobile traffic, Android was revealed to be dominating with over 90% share in 29 regions and countries, while iOS surpassed a 60% share in only eight regions and countries. Google Chrome remained the top browser except on iOS devices, where Safari led.
Internet outages rose to more than 220 incidents in 2024, driven primarily by government-directed shutdowns and compounded by cable cuts, military actions, and severe weather. Cybersecurity threats increased, with 6.5% of global traffic flagged for mitigation. Gambling and gaming industries overtook finance as the most attacked sectors. Malicious emails grew to 4.2% of total email traffic, with deceptive links and spoofing as prevalent tactics. Positive advancements included a surge in the adoption of post-quantum cryptography technology, reaching 12.87% of TLS 1.3 traffic, and notable growth in Starlink satellite Internet, which expanded access in underserved regions. In light of its findings, Cloudflare stresses the need for robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard global Internet stability and innovation.
