Jump in ransomware detailed in three recent reports

Increases in ransomware attacks and sophistication have been a growing problem in previous years, and 2023 was no different, according to research from NCC Group, which found that attacks increased by more than 80% compared to 2022.

NCC Group’s monthly Cyber Threat Intelligence Report from November 30, covering October’s attacks, is one of a number in recent weeks detailing the rise in the hacking tactic over the last calendar year.

Here are highlights from three recent studies:

NCC Group Cyber Threat Intelligence Report

Ransomware attacks dropped 34% in October after September’s record spike, NCC Group reported. Still, the 341 reported cases were an 81% jump from 2022. Thus far in 2023, ransomware attacks have claimed more than 50% more victims than last year—and there are two months of data remaining before the new year.

LockBit 3.0 remains the top choice for attackers. The ransomware-as-a-service gang’s attacks increased 16% year over year.

North America accounted for 52% of attacks, Europe 29%, and Asia 10%.

Cisco Talos Year in Review

Cisco Talos Intelligence Group published its year-end wrap-up on Dec. 5, focusing on the rise in ransomware attacks, advanced persistent threats (APT), and the deployment of commodity loaders—automated delivery systems that act like malware. They’re still being used, but with better security defenses comes innovation on the attacker side, Talos explained: “These loaders are shedding all remnants of their banking Trojan past as they position themselves more as sleek payload delivery mechanisms.”

Talos also reports some groups are turning to data theft extortion—the threat of leaking the data—rather than encryption, to make money in response to law enforcement and better industry detections.

Trustwave 2023 Manufacturing Threat Landscape

Cybersecurity management company Trustwave SpiderLabs released its overview of the manufacturing sector threat landscape on Dec. 6, highlighting the ongoing danger of ransomware to the industry, and examining common security vulnerabilities and flaws. Manufacturing is the industry most impacted by ransomware, according to a recent GuidePoint report, and the US leads the way with 63% of attacks, followed by the UK (14%) and France (9%).

The report lays out the myriad ways in which attackers target manufacturer systems, from supply chains to OT environments, and recommends defensive security hygiene as part of the solution.