Half of global ransomware attacks target the US

Last year 48 percent of ransomware attacks were directed at targets in the United States, with industrial and energy, retail, and finance businesses among the most threatened.

Research from AtlasVPN finds that out of 2,845 witnessed ransomware attacks worldwide in 2021 1,352 were launched against targets in the US. Meanwhile one in five attacks were against European countries with France suffering 146 attacks, the UK 139 and Germany 115.

Cybersecurity writer at Atlas VPN Vilius Kardelis says, "Ransomware attacks rose significantly against businesses and government entities in 2021, a trend likely to carry on to 2022. While organizations are scrambling for more cybersecurity resources, educating your employees about the best cyber defense practices is just as important."

Breaking the stats down by sector finds that industrial and energy organizations suffered 599 ransomware attacks globally in 2021. Threat actors chose businesses in the retail industry as targets in 545 ransomware attacks last year, with hackers targeting retailers when they are most vulnerable, such as during the Black Friday or Christmas sale seasons.

The finance industry experienced 355 ransomware attacks from cybercriminals in 2021 as it's seen as offering potential targets with high payout opportunities.

You can read more on the AtlasVPN blog.

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