The internet and the online services we rely on are under attack. In the past month alone, hackers have targeted Office 365 accounts, launched phishing attacks on YouTube creators, and and breached Twitch's data bases. But online entities aren't the only ones at risk from nefarious actors—ransomware has made everyone a target.
According to NordLocker, there are now thousands of ransomware attacks per day, which has cost businesses an estimated $20 billion overall. And since the most successful attacks are never publicly disclosed, these figures could be on the low end. Recent attacks include Sinclair Broadcast Group, Colonial Pipeline, and multiple municipal water systems.
By analyzing 1,200 ransomware cases since 2020, NordLocker found that internet companies and online services are hardly the top targets. Instead, the data shows that construction companies have been hit the hardest with 93 affected companies from the industry. This is closely followed by 86 manufacturing companies.
It turns out that technology and IT businesses are just the 6th most targeted industry, with 62 companies hit by a ransomware attack—which seems surprising. Despite our reliance on these types of companies, hitting financial institutions and healthcare providers seems like the preferred ransomware targets.
Nordlocker also found that the Conti ransomware group was responsible for 450 attacks, making it the most dangerous attacker over the past year. REvil was responsible for 210 attacks, Dopple Paymer was linked to 200 attacks, and PYSA was responsible for 188 attacks.
Ransomware is typically spread through malicious emails or fake websites to gain access to valuable files and systems, so it's important to invest in ransomware protection and avoid phishing scams. If you do find yourself falling victim to such an attack, though, we do not recommend paying the ransom.