Global ransomware attacks at all-time high, US primary target: Report

The global ransomware attacks are at an all-time high, and the US is the primary target, a new report has said

San Francisco: The global ransomware attacks are at an all-time high, and the US is the primary target, a new report has said.

The findings from the internet security firm Malwarebytes showed alarming trends in the global ransomware surge from July 2022 to June 2023, in which it noted 1,900 reported ransomware attacks collected, over 43 per cent originating in the US. Germany, France, and the UK all saw an increase in ransomware deployment but lower than the US.

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A total of 48 separate ransomware groups attacked the US in the observed period, a 75 per cent increase in the average number of monthly attacks in the US between the first and second half of the last 12 months. American companies, governmental organisations, healthcare and educational institutions were most attacked.

For a year and a half, LockBit, which claims to have 100 affiliates, has been the most dominant form of “Ransomware-as-a-Service” (RaaS) in the US, averaging about 24 attacks per month.

On the other hand, the UK emerged as the second-largest ransomware target, enduring close to 200 ransomware attacks, according to the report. About 32 separate ransomware groups attacked the UK, seven of which recorded more than ten known attacks.

“More ransomware gangs are attacking targets multiple times a month, the number of groups carrying out more than one known attack per month in the UK has climbed steadily for a year, from just one in July 2022 to eight in June 2023,” the report said.

Germany retained its place as the fourth most attacked country in the world, and the most attacked country outside of the Anglosphere. France, meanwhile, experienced a disproportionately high rate of attacks on its government sector (9 per cent of attacks), the report mentioned.