Global blackmail software attacks hit a record high, and the United States is the primary target.

CTOnews.com August 7 news, according to the Malwarebytes report shows that the global ransomware attacks are on the rise. The study shows that the number of attacks increased significantly from July 2022 to June 2023, with the United States bearing the brunt. The group points out that of the 1900 ransomware attacks collected, more than 43 per cent occurred in the US, an increase of 75 per cent over last year.

Tuyuan Pexels Germany, France and the UK have also suffered more blackmail software attacks, but the proportion is lower than that of the United States. The report lists 48 different racketeering software groups that attacked American companies, government agencies and ordinary consumers during this period, and to make matters worse, health care and educational institutions were particularly affected. For example, Managed Care of North America (MCNA), a dental insurer, was hit by data leaks in March, and New York City's education department was attacked in June.

It is worth noting that Malwarebytes's research only shows events that have been reported, so the actual number of attacks may be more than 1900. The purpose of blackmail software attacks is to extort ransoms, so some organizations pay ransoms and remain silent.

CTOnews.com Note: ransomware attacks are malware specifically designed to prevent users and organizations from accessing files on their computers. The software locks all files and gives the attacker a decryption key after paying the ransom to regain access to the file.