There was a time when ransomware was a buzzword in the information security environment, uttered infrequently but with fear. Today, ransomware has achieved widespread recognition and is feared by millions of IT departments – and rightly so. The frequency of ransomware attacks has grown exponentially in recent years and there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon.
If you don't believe that ransomware can affect your company and wreak havoc on business data and systems, pay attention to these statistics that all IT professionals should know about ransomware protection.
Common ransomware entry points
Ransomware attackers are betting that users on corporate networks don't pay much attention when they click.
Most ransomware enters businesses through phishing. In 67% of ransomware attacks , a user is tricked into clicking on a malicious link sent via email, or opening an infected attachment. In 16% of cases, malware is introduced when a network user lands on a malicious ad or website.
Approximately 30% of attacks were carried out using brute latvia whatsapp data force, targeting weak passwords or poor access management processes.
[Free Download] Learn how to secure a ransomware-free future for your business. >>
Frequency of ransomware attacks on companies
Ransomware is on the rise, with city governments and businesses being the most coveted targets. In 2019, ransomware affected 966 US government agencies, educational establishments, and healthcare providers. And the numbers continue to grow.
Ransomware attack cases increased by 25% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. The second quarter also started off strong, with the city of Knoxville, Tennessee even being one of the most recent victims of ransomware attacks in early June.
Experts predict that by 2021, businesses will be hit by a ransomware attack every 11 seconds, up from the 2015 average of every 40 seconds.
Industry sectors most affected by ransomware
The healthcare sector has become a favorite target for ransomware, as valuable patient data is at stake. These attacks are likely to become even more frequent as we deal with the fallout from COVID-19. Staffing changes, widespread uncertainty, and sustained high levels of stress mean more distracted system users who are susceptible to opening doors to malicious actors.
Ransomware attackers tend to focus their efforts where they believe they are likely to get paid . This tactic makes government networks a big target (15% of attacks in the US), due to their need to avoid large-scale disruption caused by downtime of government operations. Manufacturing (14%) and construction (13%) services are also frequent victims of ransomware because of the large dollar losses in the event of service disruption.