UK ransomware attacks shift to targeted methods, small businesses most affected

Per Tech Radar, ransomware incidents in the UK saw a significant drop in volume last year, yet the number of successful compromises rose by 20%. This indicates a strategic shift by attackers toward more sophisticated and targeted approaches.

Security researchers at SonicWall reported that ransomware actors have moved away from broad, untargeted attacks to more human-operated, "big game hunting" methodologies. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) were disproportionately affected, experiencing ransomware in 88% of breaches compared to 39% in large enterprises.

A significant contributing factor is the prevalence of outdated "zombie tech," with a single decade-old flaw in a Hikvision IP camera leading to 67 million attack attempts. Furthermore, the primary extortion tactic has evolved from file encryption to data exfiltration, as it is a cheaper and equally effective method for cybercriminals. The findings highlight a need for organizations to address their "zombie tech" vulnerabilities and improve breach detection capabilities, as the average attack remains undetected for 181 days.

Source: Tech Radar