New ransomware report reveals 80% victim increase in 2023
January 25, 2024 – Published on Security Brief
On Thursday, January 25, 2024, GuidePoint Security, an industry leader in cybersecurity solutions, launched the GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Teams (GRIT) 2023 Annual Ransomware Report. The report investigates global ransomware trends, including mass exploitation campaigns, encryption, data extortion and other novel coercive tactics, based on publicly available data.
From its analysis, GRIT reported an 80% increase in victim posting YoY and found that victim volume had almost doubled, with 4,519 victims across 30 industries and 120 countries. There were 63 unique ransomware groups using encryption, data exfiltration and additional coercive techniques. “Comparing 2023 to 2022 ransomware activity, we saw an 80% YoY increase of victim posting,” Drew Schmitt, Practice Lead of GRIT, explained. He attributed the rise to multiple mass exploitation campaigns and an influx of new entrants in the ransomware ecosystem due to lowered technical barriers, including the recycling of leaked ransomware builders and commodity malware. He also revealed the role of established groups with resources and technical expertise in this growth, stating that “exploitation of high-severity and zero-day vulnerabilities provided a reliable means of exploiting victims at scale”.
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