Page 147 - Cyber Defense eMagazine December 2023

Organizations Are Shifting Ransomware Defense

Tactics, But Malware Is Still the Problem

By Trevor Hilligoss, Senior Director of Security Research at SpyCloud

Ransomware attacks are a fact of life – over 72% of global businesses have been impacted by
ransomware in 2023. This number rises in U.S., Canadian, and U.K. organizations, with over
81% affected at least once in the past year, according to a recent SpyCloud survey.

Despite the continued threat, 79% of security leaders in North America and Europe are confident in their
ransomware defenses, highlighting a disparity between the industry's assessment of its cyber
preparedness and the efficacy of current cybersecurity strategies.

This disconnect is partially due to the evolving methods criminals employ. Traditionally, data encryption
was the biggest problem facing organizations impacted by attacks, and businesses countered by
implementing data backups. However, the ransomware landscape has shifted, and cybercriminals are
increasingly relying on malware-exfiltrated data to carry out more devastating attacks.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – December 2023 Edition 147
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