NEWS
Palo Alto Networks reveals ransomware payments hit new records in 2021
The most affected industries were professional and legal services , construction , wholesale and retail , healthcare and manufacturing .
“ In 2021 , ransomware attacks interfered with everyday activities that people all over the world take for granted – everything from buying groceries , purchasing gasoline for our cars to calling 911 in the event of an emergency and obtaining medical care ,” said Jen Miller-Osborn , Deputy Director , Unit 42 Threat Intelligence . The report describes how the cyber extortion ecosystem grew in 2021 , with the emergence of 35 new ransomware gangs .
Ransomware payments hit new records in 2021 as cybercriminals increasingly turned to Dark Web ‘ leak sites ’ where they pressured victims to pay up by threatening to release sensitive data , according to research released from Unit 42 by Palo Alto Networks .
The average ransom demand in cases worked on by Unit 42 incident responders rose 144 % in 2021 to US $ 2.2 million , while the average payment climbed 78 % to US $ 541,010 , according to The 2022 Unit 42 Ransomware Threat Report .
The number of victims whose data was posted on leak sites rose 85 % in 2021 , to 2,566 organizations , according to Unit 42 ’ s analysis . A total of 60 % of leak site victims were in the Americas , followed by 31 % for Europe , the Middle East and Africa , and then 9 % in the Asia-Pacific region .
SecurityScorecard partners with TriTech to expand cybersecurity footprint in Hong Kong and Macau
SecurityScorecard has announced a partnership with TriTech , a leading Hong Kong and Macau-based value-added distributor ( VAD ), to help enterprises in the region gain greater visibility into security vulnerabilities across their organizations .
The partnership will also help third-party partners comply with new government regulations , prioritize remediation for the most significant threats and protect critical assets .
“ The global threat landscape has evolved in a way that commands organizations to do more to protect their businesses and their entire supply chain while meeting more rigorous government regulations ,” said Albert Kuo , Vice President of APAC Sales at SecurityScorecard . “ Partnering with Tritech allows us to reach businesses that need to improve their security posture while expanding our reach and intelligence in the APAC region .”
Dr Charlie Ip , Managing Director of TriTech Distribution , said : “ We have seen a steep incline in demand for more comprehensive cybersecurity solutions to manage thirdparty risk .
“ Our commitment to delivering the best cybersecurity options to our customers means partnering with leaders like SecurityScorecard to provide comprehensive , yet easy to understand solutions that improve threat detection and speed-critical risk communications across the supply chain . We are pleased to offer this solution as a new layer of protection to our customers .”
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