Ransom Leak Sites Reveal 422% Annual Increase in Victims

Over three-quarters of consumers and cybersecurity professionals want to see ransom payments made illegal, as new figures showed a triple-digit year-on-year increase in victim organizations.

Mandiant claimed to have detected a 422% increase in victim organizations announced by ransomware groups on their leak sites between Q1 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.

That amounted to over 600 European organizations, with those in manufacturing, legal and professional services and retail most affected.

The new figures come as research from Talion revealed that 78% of UK consumers and 79% of security professionals believe payments to these groups should be banned by law.