Between the third and fourth quarters of 2017, cyberattacks rose82% and malware spread at a rapid pace, according to new data fromdigital security firm Fortinet.

The Sunnyvale, California-based company reported that almost18,000 different varieties of malware existedduring the quarter — a 19% increase in just three months — andfirms in the study faced an average of 274 attempted attacks duringthe quarter.

“The volume, sophistication and variety of cyber threatscontinue to accelerate with the digital transformation of ourglobal economy,” Fortinet chief information security Officer PhilQuade said. “Cybercriminals have become emboldened in theirattack methods as they undergo a similar transformation, and theirtools are now in the hands of many. The stark reality is thattraditional security strategies and architectures simply are nolonger sufficient for a digital-dependent organization. There isincredible urgency to counter today's attacks with a securitytransformation that mirrors digital transformation efforts.”