Disturbing details about the amount and intensity of ransomware attacks in the first half of this year emerged

Aug 3, 2021 16:47 GMT  ·  By

According to the SonicWall mid-year update, ransomware attacks increased dramatically in the first half (H1) of 2021, outperforming the entire year of 2020, according to Help Net Security.

The worldwide ransomware volume increased by 151% to reach 304.7 million in the first half of this year. Researchers found ransomware rises in multiple industries, including retail (up 264%), healthcare (up 594%), government (up 917%), and education (up 615%). On the other hand, worldwide malware attacks went down, with a 24% decrease in volume most likely due to threats becoming more sophisticated.

The number of ransomware attacks in the United States (185%) and the United Kingdom (165%) has increased dramatically, whereas the top three ransomware families were SamSam, Cerber, and Ryuk that accounted for 64% of all known ransomware attacks.

For the same time-frame, cryptocurrency prices remained high, therefore cryptojacking malware also continued to increase. A 23% rise in cryptojacking attempts occurred between January and June of this year compared to the same six-month period last year. The rise underscores the rapidly changing marketplaces where cybercriminals found anonymity and huge payouts.

The vast majority of ransomware attacks were directed at enterprises in wealthy economies 

Germany, South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil are the most vulnerable regions to ransomware attacks in the first half of 2021. The top five states with the most ransomware attacks are Rhode Island (8.8 million), Louisiana (8.8 million), Idaho (20.5 million), New York (26.4 million), and Florida (111.1 million citizens). Europe was particularly hard hit, with a 248% increase in cryptojacking malware in only one year.

Bill Conner, the CEO of SonicWall stated, “In a year driven by anxiety and uncertainty, cybercriminals have continued to accelerate attacks against innocent people and vulnerable institutions”. He goes on to say that new evidence demonstrates that skilled threat actors are continually modifying their techniques and use ransomware to profit and harm.

Remote working is still common and poses a risk to enterprises, and cybercriminals are aware of the uncertainty of the cyber landscape. Businesses must adopt a modern Boundless Cybersecurity strategy to guard against both known and unknown threats, especially as people become more remote, mobile, and vulnerable.