A cyber network defender works network defense during Cyber Shield 20 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. (Pennsylvania National Guard)With LockBit malware claiming attacks on defense giant Thales and German firm Continental, November closed with the distinction of having the second most reported ransomware attacks this year, according to a new report.In its monthly global ransomware report, cybersecurity company BlackFog said the 42 publicly disclosed ransomware attacks in November is a 180% year-over-year increase. The lion’s share of the attacks (86%) used PowerShell, while 89% exfiltrated data. The average payout was just over $258,000, a 13.2% increase from the second quarter of 2022.
The healthcare and manufacturing industries saw the biggest increase by sector at 26% and 25%, respectively, while education (14%) and government (13%) also increased. Nearly half of the reported attacks (46%) were on organizations in the United States, while other regions, such as the UK (8%) and Canada (5%), trailed far behind. Variants using LockBit led the ransomware pack with a 33% increase in successful attacks, followed by BlackByte and BlackCat with increases of 25% and 14%, respectively.
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Stephen Weigand is managing editor and production manager for SC Media. He has worked for news media in Washington, D.C., covering military and defense issues, as well as federal IT. He is based in the Seattle area.
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