Ransomware attacks continue to increase

TechRepublic reports that ransomware attacks have increased by 53% in February, with the prevalence of attacks poised to grow even further despite the passage of the Strengthening American Cybersecurity Act last month. Most ransomware attacks in February were targeted at the industrial sector, followed by consumer cyclicals and technology, while North America continued to be the most targeted region, accounting for 42% of ransomware attacks in February, according to an NCC Group report. "It’s interesting to see a regional trend emerging in Europe and North America, with both regions seeing the same number of victims of double extortion ransomware attacks. By continuing to closely monitor if this pattern persists, we will be able to determine what this means for the wider European threat landscape," said NCC Group Cyber Threat Intelligence Manager Matt Hull. Meanwhile, LockBit 2.0 was the most active hacking group in February, accounting for 42% of attacks, followed by Conti and BlackCat, which accounted for 18% and 11% of all attacks during the same period, respectively.