"Bigger Demands, Bigger Payouts Are the Trend in Ransomware, Report Says"

Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 conducted an analysis of ransomware attacks launched in 2021, finding that large and highly organized cybercrime groups such as Conti are contributing to the increase in the overall cost of ransomware attacks. Cases handled by Unit 42 incident responders show that the average ransom demand rose 144 percent in 2021 to $2.2 million, while the average payment increased 78 percent to $541,010. Ransomware attackers were also more likely than ever to leak data from breaches on the dark web as a way to further pressure victims into paying demanded ransoms. The number of victims whose data was made publicly available by ransomware attackers rose 85 percent in 2021 to 2,566 organizations. Almost 1 in 5 ransomware cases handled by Unit 42 involved Conti. This Eastern European gang has made international headlines in recent weeks after thousands of its own documents leaked. Unit 42 also discovered 35 new ransomware gangs in 2021, further indicating that ransomware is continuously growing. 

CyberScoop reports "Bigger Demands, Bigger Payouts Are the Trend in Ransomware, Report Says"