A report by Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reveals that around 88% of companies that have already suffered a ransomware attack admit that they would choose to pay the ransom if they were attacked again.
This type of cyberattack consists of “hijacking” and encrypting data, which can only be recovered by paying a ransom.
“Ransomware has become a critical threat to organizations. New attack versions appear regularly and APT groups use them in advanced attacks. Even an accidental infection can cause problems for a business. And because it’s about business continuity, executives are forced to make tough decisions about whether or not to pay the ransom,” says Sergei Martsynkyan, vice president at Kaspersky.
The number has declined, however, when it comes to organizations that have not suffered a company data hijack.
In these organizations, only 67% of business leaders admit to choosing to pay immediately for the ransom of stolen data, although they are less inclined to do so immediately.
About two-thirds of the companies that participated in the survey, approximately 64%, admit to having already been victims of the attack.
Within this group, around 97% of those who paid the ransom to hackers admit that this is the most effective way to recover data and say they are willing to do it again.
However, experts warn that it is not recommended to give money to cybercriminals, since it is not certain that encrypted data will be returned, eventually motivating new attacks by hackers.
“It is important that companies follow basic security principles and look for reliable security solutions that minimize the risk of suffering a ransomware attack,” warns Martsynkyan.
Trends in cybercrime
Kaspersky also admits that it has detected three new trends among criminal groups that use ransomware as a weapon.
The first, explain the experts, is the use of “multiplatform capabilities”, with the aim of reaching as many systems as possible with the same virus.
Another trend, observed by experts since the end of 2021, is that, seeking to facilitate the operations of these criminal groups, pirates have carried out regular rebrandings, confusing and diverting the attention of the authorities. In addition, they frequently update their data exfiltration tools.
The impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine has also severely affected the cybercrime world, with several advanced persistent threat groups (nicknamed APIT) being monitored on various cybercrime forums in various ransomware actions related to the situation.
Source: CNN Brasil
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