While the beginning of 2023 saw a decline in the number of ransomware attacks in Q2, some regions saw an upward trend – with South Africa experiencing a 10% increase in attempts on individual and corporate users, according to Kaspersky Security Network data.
Ransomware remains one of the main threats to information security globally. In 2022, the average cost of a ransomware attack was $4,54-million, according to IBM’s latest data breach report, and Kaspersky solutions detected over 74,2-million attempted ransomware attacks (a 20% increase from 2021).
While ransomware numbers may fluctuate by season and region, the company says, it cannot be overstated that ransomware is becoming more sophisticated and targeted. Ransomware attackers target all types of organisations – from healthcare and educational institutions to service providers and industrial enterprises.
At the beginning of 2023, LockBit, one of the world’s most prolific ransomware groups, remained in the first place among the Top 5 most influential and prolific ransomware groups. REvil and Conti were replaced by Vice Society and BlackCat. The remaining ransomware groups that formed the Top 5 at the beginning of 2023 were Clop and Royal.
“Ransomware groups around the world continue to improve their techniques,” says Dmitry Galov, head of Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT), Russia. “They are driven by three main factors. First, it is the chances of getting caught when attacking a certain organisation. The second factor is the size of ransom they can potentially receive. Finally, they always estimate the technical difficulty of the attack. If any one of these parameters goes out of line with the plans of the attackers, they reconsider.
“Installing effective security solutions will likely draw ransomware groups away from an organisation,” Galov says. “It is a necessary investment as ransomware attacks can result in disastrous consequences such as permanent loss of information, disruption of business processes, loss of time, harm to reputation, and huge financial losses.”