New research has found that the number of cyber attacks affecting UK firms has fallen for the first time in three years.

By analysing commercial internet traffic, ISP company Beaming found the volume of threats fell 9% in the second quarter of 2021, compared to the same period of 2020. This means that UK businesses each suffered an average of 160,610 attempts to breach their online systems between April and June, equivalent to an attack every 49 seconds.

This was a similar level to the first quarter of 2021, which saw 157,020 attacks on average.

In addition, the research found that the largest number of cyberattacks has IP addressed originating in China, the US, India, Brazil, and Russia. While China averaged the most attacks, 48,726, the US has seen growth over recent months, making it the second most common country of origin at 30,360.

“Cyberattacks on businesses surged when the UK went into lockdown last year as criminals sensed the opportunity to take advantage of under-protected home workers,” said Managing Director of Beaming Sonia Blizzard.

“Attacks have fallen to near pre-pandemic levels as more people returned to their workplaces, but businesses are still in the firing line and face new attacks every minute. We continue to urge caution.

“Home and hybrid working remains a permanent fixture for lots of firms. Many of their people will access company data and IT systems via personal devices and unmanaged domestic internet connections.”

She added: “These new normal working practices are inherently insecure and increase the risk of a breach. Firms that haven’t upped their cybersecurity game should do so now, especially if they allow home working.”

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Since the pandemic, the world has faced a rising tide of cyberattacks. Driven in part by the disruptions caused by the coronavirus, such as the rapid shift to remote working or fears and uncertainties around the disease, cybercriminals put additional pressure on many organisations.

Recent research found that 2020 saw a 485% increase in ransomware attacks compared to 2019. In addition, high profile attacks on third-party service providers, such as SolarWinds, Microsoft Exchange, and the ongoing Kaseya attack, have provided threat actors with the means to expand their campaigns.

Automation is also a major tool available to cybercriminals. The sheer volume of the attacks recorded by Beaming suggests that the actors are leveraging AI to scale their operations.

In its report, Beaming warned that the hybrid working practices still present opportunities for cyberattacks. The company warned that these practices are inherently insecure.