Number of ransomware victims increases by 25 percent

April 20, 2023 – Published on Beta News

A new report based on publicly available resources finds a 25 percent increase in ransomware victims from Q4 2022 and a 27 percent increase compared to Q1 of the same year.

The study from GuidePoint Security’s Research and Intelligence Team (GRIT) tracked 849 total publicly posted ransomware victims claimed by 29 different threat groups in the first quarter of this year.

Manufacturing, technology, education, banking and finance, and healthcare organizations continue to represent the majority of publicly posted ransomware victims. LockBit remains the most prolific ransomware threat group, but the widespread exploitation of a file-sharing application vulnerability has brought Clop into a leading position.

The report also notes coercive tactics used by numerous prolific ransomware groups that follow the ‘double extortion’ model of operations, where the ransomware operators not only encrypt files on corrupted networks and hosts, but also steal data. The ransomware groups then use the threat of leaking data to the public to encourage compliance with ransom demands.

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