"Security Professionals View Ransomware and Terrorism as Equal Threats"

Sapio Research surveyed over 1,500 security professionals on behalf of the machine identity management provider Venafi. Of those who participated in the survey, 60 percent reported considering ransomware and terrorism equal threats. The findings reflect the views of the US Department of Justice (DOJ), which announced that it would prioritize ransomware attacks at the level previously only reserved for terrorism. Two-thirds of the security professionals revealed that their organization had been hit by ransomware over the past 12 months, with both large and small companies being impacted. More than 70 percent of the respondents expressed confidence in their current security tools to help protect them from future ransomware attacks despite the increase in attacks. However, this confidence was found to vary by job title, as security team leaders were slightly less confident than C-level executives in the effectiveness of their current tools. This article continues to discuss findings from the survey regarding security professionals' perception of ransomware, confidence in the efficacy of their current security tools, and decision to give in to attackers' demands for ransom payments.

HealthITSecurity reports "Security Professionals View Ransomware and Terrorism as Equal Threats"