Ransomware Attacks Rose Sharply in 2021

If it feels like ransomware attacks are in the news more and more, it’s not your imagination. Ransomware attacks have sharply risen in quantity recently, as a survey by Sophos shows.

Among the 5,600 companies Sophos surveyed for its “State of Ransomware 2021” report, 66% reported being a victim of a ransomware attack. That’s a staggering number, especially when you consider just 37% of the companies surveyed in the previous year reported the same. While Sophos’ survey isn’t necessarily indicative of the industry as a whole, it’s concerning to see the number of companies experiencing ransomware attacks nearly double in just one year.

To add insult to injury, the average ransom paid jumped more than five times since last year: the average payout now sits at over $800,000, and the number of companies that paid more than $1,000,000 in ransoms rose to 11%.

It is now more vital than ever to remain vigilant against ransomware attacks and cyberattacks as a whole. Remember to always employ best practices with all aspects of technology, including proper password creation and management, using extra security features like MFA, carefully examining strange messages, and never clicking on fishy links.

Photo by Mackenzie Marco on Unsplash