India Ranks Seventh Globally in Hacking Impact, Microsoft Report Finds

India has emerged as the seventh most affected country globally in terms of customer impact from hacking during the first half of 2026, according to the latest Microsoft Digital Defense Report. The report draws on data from Microsoft's extensive security network, which processes more than 165 trillion security signals every day.

The report points to a rapidly changing cyber threat environment in which attacks are increasingly moving across interconnected digital systems. Hackers are no longer focusing on isolated devices or networks. Instead, attacks can move through user identities, business applications, cloud platforms, third-party suppliers and other connected infrastructure.

Compromised credentials remain one of the major entry points used by attackers. Phishing has also become a growing concern. Microsoft reported that phishing accounted for 23% of recorded intrusions in 2026, compared with 7% in the previous year. The report further noted that more than half of compromised-user-account incidents resulted in additional attempts to obtain credentials.

Another concern highlighted by Microsoft is the shrinking gap between the disclosure of a software vulnerability and its exploitation by attackers. In many cases, this period can now be less than 24 hours, leaving organisations with very little time to identify vulnerable systems and apply security updates.

The report also describes artificial intelligence as an increasingly important factor in cybersecurity. Both attackers and defenders are using AI to speed up activities, automate processes and improve operational efficiency.

Microsoft's findings indicate that cybersecurity risks are increasingly connected across organisations and supply chains. As a result, organisations need to focus not only on preventing attacks but also on strengthening their ability to detect, contain and recover from incidents.

02-10-2026