There isn't one single "hub," but Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and the USA are frequently identified as major sources of sophisticated cyberattacks, often with state backing for espionage, disruption, or financial gain, while countries like Brazil and India are known hotspots for diverse cybercrime, including widespread scams and significant ethical hacking communities.
Here's the List of Countries with the Most Hackers in the World, Where Does Indonesia Rank?
Why was Kevin Mitnick known as the world's most famous hacker? Kevin's notoriety came from his highly publicized pursuit and arrest by the FBI in 1995 after he successfully penetrated the networks of numerous corporations.
1. United States – The Global Leader in Cyber Security
More than 90% of successful cyber-attacks start with a phishing email.
China is by far and away the biggest source of hacking with nearly half of all attacks originating from the country. The US also houses its share of hackers – perhaps unsurprisingly, given that the US pretty much leads the charts for any web stat. What's amazing is tiny Taiwan's contribution to the total.
The World Economic Forum notes that 95% of cybersecurity issues can be traced to human mistakes. A 2025 Mimecast report likewise found 95% of breaches involved human error - underscoring that human mistakes surpassed technological flaws as the top cause of breaches.
Finland is the place to be if you're looking for the best country for a workation without having to worry about your, or your company's, data being stolen. With a cyber-danger score of just 12.6, the country hosts fewer than 300 phishing sites and only 11 compromised computers per 100,000 internet users.
Yes, you absolutely can make $200,000 or more in cybersecurity, especially in senior, specialized, or high-demand roles like CISO, Senior Security Engineer, Cloud Security Engineer, or Security Consultant, with compensation increasing significantly with experience, certifications, and location (especially in tech hubs). While entry-level roles start lower, experienced professionals can reach $200k+ through strategic career growth and skill development in areas like cloud security, application security, and executive leadership.
The 5 countries with the highest amount of breached accounts in Q3 of 2022 were Russia, France (13.8 million), Indonesia (13.2 million), the US (8.4 million) and Spain (3.9 million). These countries accounted for more than half of the total breaches globally in Q3 2022.
Kevin Mitnick became “the world's most famous hacker” after stealing computer code from tech companies like Nokia and Motorola.
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
If you are charged with federal hacking crimes under 18 U.S.C. § 1030, you could face up to a year in federal prison for lesser offenses, between 10-20 years for more serious offenses, and even life in prison if the hacking resulted in someone's death.
According to surveys, ethical hackers receive the highest paycheck at companies in San Francisco (around $150,000) and the lowest pay by companies in Minneapolis (around $97,000). On the other hand, the average salary for a CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) in the US is around $90,000 per annum.
Hacker demographics by race
Why Is It So Difficult to Catch a Hacker? Hackers employ sophisticated tactics to cover their tracks. Only about 5% of cybercriminals are apprehended, highlighting the challenges law enforcement faces.
1. Yahoo – 3,000,000,000 records lost. In 2013, hackers breached Yahoo's system and leaked customer info from over 3 billion accounts. Fortunately, the stolen data didn't include crucial information such as payment data, unhashed passwords, or bank account numbers.
While there is concern that automation may lead to job displacement, the reality is more nuanced. Experts expect AI to augment cybersecurity roles instead of replacing them. Accurate interpretation of AI findings and informed decision-making based on those insights require human oversight.
Good security standards follow the “90 / 10” rule. 90% of security safeguards rely on YOU to maintain good computing practices. 10% of security safeguards are technical.
There are many in cybersecurity, however, who have 9-5 jobs. I have met so many people who may be great at cybersecurity saying that they don't want to work in the industry because of the long hours. You can work in cybersecurity and have pretty normal hours. No two days are the same.
Myanmar has a Cyber-Safety Score of 18.60, among the lowest globally. The score highlights the country's inadequate response to cyber threats and the lack of comprehensive strategies to safeguard against digital risks.
A cyber security career in Bangalore and Hyderabad offers strong long-term potential because both cities provide access to multiple types of companies, diverse job roles, and fast-growing digital industries.
Phishing and Email-Based Entry Points. Without effective phishing protection, phishing attacks become easier. Attackers can easily send emails with malicious links or attachments to infect their IT infrastructure. Phishing can still succeed even when technical controls are in place because it targets human behavior.
Why Did I Receive An Apple Data Leak Alert? Apple's Security Recommendations feature automatically monitors iCloud Keychain users' saved passwords for data leaks. Similar to haveibeenpwned.com, it checks your credentials against recognized databases of leaked passwords.
Cyber Threat Landscape
Top targets: Manufacturing, Healthcare, Financial Services (where data value + disruption = leverage). Drivers: AI phishing, deepfake social engineering, RaaS industrialization. Reality: no sector is immune.