19% of Attacks are State-Sponsored

A recent report by Verizon shows that the frequency of state-sponsored attacks are increasing. Currently, 19% of attacks appear to have been state-sponsored. The profile of these attacks is usually different than those aimed at identity theft or other forms of fraud.

Of the foreign attacks, the largest group of them appear to have come from China.

Verizon also reports that most attacks would be adequately defended by applying the 20 controls recommended by SANS.

UPDATE: The US CERT has released 31 guidelines to protect against a broad range of attacks.

UPDATE: The Pentagon has directly accused the Chinese government of cyber-spying. The Chinese response:

Although it is common sense that you cannot determine sources of cyber attacks only through IP addresses, some people in the Pentagon still prefer believing they are from China as they always bear a sense of rivalry. It is an allegation based on presupposition.