MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. The number of malware programs used to attack Russian companies in the first four months of 2026 increased nearly 18-fold to 1,174. During the same period last year, there were 66 such samples, cybersecurity company Positive Technologies told Vedomosti.

The identified malware samples are linked to 11 monitored hacker groups. Among the most active are PhaseShifters, Rare Werewolf, Hive0117, and PhantomCore.

Since the beginning of 2026, hackers have been responsible for around 70% of new malware programs. Their number totaled 115 in January, 247 in February, 413 in March, and 399 in April. In the corresponding months of 2025, the figures stood at 21, 13, 8, and 24, respectively, according to the company.