Who is behind ransomware?

New analysis suggests that 74% of all money made through ransomware attacks in 2021 went to Russia-linked hackers. Researchers say more than $400 million worth of crypto-currency payments went to groups "highly likely to be affiliated with Russia".

Which company attacked ransomware?

Brenntag, a chemical distribution company headquartered in Germany, experienced a ransomware attack in May from DarkSide. This incident affected the North American division of the company and led to 150GB of stolen sensitive data.

How did ransomware start?

The First Ransomware Attack

According to Becker's Hospital Review, the first known ransomware attack occurred in 1989 and targeted the healthcare industry. 28 years later, the healthcare industry remains a top target for ransomware attacks. PC CYBORG advisory from 1989. Screenshot originally taken from Security Focus.

Who sent the first ransomware?

Ransomware's Early Days

Harvard-trained evolutionary biologist Joseph L. Popp sent 20,000 infected diskettes labeled “AIDS Information – Introductory Diskettes” to attendees of the World Health Organization's international AIDS conference.

How do ransomware attackers get paid?

Ransomware attackers usually demand payment to be wired through Western Union or paid through a specialized text message. Some attackers demand payment in the form of gift cards like an Amazon or iTunes Gift Card.

Behind the booming ransomware industry: How hackers hold businesses hostage | Business Beyond

Is it illegal to make ransomware?

A ransomware is considered to be illegal because aside from capturing your data in the computer, it will demand you to pay a ransom fee. The added burden to victim is that, it asks for a payment using Bitcoins. This is how the cyber-criminals hide from the authorities.

What was the largest ransomware payment ever made in 2020 2021?

Insurance: An insurer made a $40 million ransom payment to regain control of its systems. This is believed to be the largest ransomware payment to date. Law enforcement: One of the worst ransomware attacks against police targeted the police department in a major U.S. city.

Where does most ransomware come from?

Ransomware is often spread through phishing emails that contain malicious attachments or through drive-by downloading. Drive-by downloading occurs when a user unknowingly visits an infected website and then malware is downloaded and installed without the user's knowledge.

What is the most popular ransomware in history?

WannaCry: the biggest ransomware attack in history - Raconteur.

Who is the best hacker in the world?

Kevin Mitnick is the world's authority on hacking, social engineering, and security awareness training. In fact, the world's most used computer-based end-user security awareness training suite bears his name.

Who has been hacked in 2021?

The Chinese hacking group known as Hafnium attacked Microsoft in March of 2021. The attack affected over 30,000 organizations across the United States, including local governments, government agencies, and businesses.

Do people actually pay ransomware?

How to Respond and Report. The FBI does not support paying a ransom in response to a ransomware attack. Paying a ransom doesn't guarantee you or your organization will get any data back.

Where do most hackers come from?

China. By quite a significant margin, China houses the largest number of hackers on Earth. During the last quarter of 2012, the world's most populous country accounted for 41 percent of the world's hacking traffic.

Does WannaCry still exist?

While the majority of the damage occurred in the weeks after May 12, 2017, WannaCry ransomware attacks actually increased 53% from January 2021 to March 2021. While researching my in-depth article WannaCry: How the Widespread Ransomware Changed Cybersecurity, I learned that WannaCry attacks are still found today.

Is ransomware a Trojan?

Ransomware attacks are typically carried out using a Trojan, entering a system through, for example, a malicious attachment, embedded link in a Phishing email, or a vulnerability in a network service.

Who is responsible for most ransomware attacks?

What happens if you don't pay ransomware?

If a company doesn't pay the ransom, the cybercriminals will still profit from selling the victim's data. If a company does pay the ransom, their money gets disseminated all over the dark web. Ransoms don't just go to one person or organization – even an ancillary participant in a ransomware attack will profit.

Why you should never pay ransomware?

Law enforcement agencies recommend not paying, because doing so encourages continued criminal activity. In some cases, paying the ransom could even be illegal, because it provides funding for criminal activity.

How much do ransomware hackers make?

Average Ransomware Payouts Trend

Between 2018 and 2020, average ransomware payouts costs per incident nearly doubled from $4,300 to $8,100. And with 2021 being the most prolific year for ransomware operators yet, these numbers are projected to skyrocket by the end of the year.

Can ransomware attackers be caught?

"There are certainly cases where people have been caught for running ransomware attacks, but it seems like it is a pretty small minority," said Ryan Olson, vice president of threat intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks.

How many companies are victims of ransomware?

Roughly one in five companies has been victimized by ransomware. The findings are consistent with an earlier study Hornet conducted that found one in four businesses had suffered an email security breach. Nearly one in 10 companies believed they had no choice but to pay a ransom to recover their data.

Do companies pay ransomware attacks?

Is it legal to pay after a ransomware attack? For the moment, it's legal to pay the ransom in the U.S., though cybersecurity experts recommend companies do not pay. Given the criticality of assets stolen, a company may decide that it has to pay the ransom and that it is legally allowed to do so.

Is paying a ransom money laundering?

Money laundering: It is an offence for a person to enter into an arrangement that they know or suspect facilitates the use or control of criminal property. However, a ransom payment may not be considered to be criminal property until it is in the hands of the attackers.

Does ransomware steal data?

If a multiple-extortion ransomware attack is executed (which can never be known for certain) sensitive data is also exfiltrated. Even if no exfiltration occurs, encryption causes loss of data availability. Some ransomware variants could cause unauthorized alteration of personal information.