Ransomware attacks hit record 300 mn in 1st half of 2021: Report

SAN FRANCISCO: Ransomware attacks globally surged in the first half of 2021, with 304.7 million, surpassing 2020’s full-year total (304.6 million), says a new report.

After posting record highs in both April and May, cybersecurity firm SonicWall recorded another new high of 78.4 million ransomware attacks in June 2021 alone.

The ransomware showed massive year-to-date spikes in the US (185 per cent) and the UK (144 per cent).

“In a year driven by anxiety and uncertainty, cybercriminals have continued to accelerate attacks against innocent people and vulnerable institutions,” Bill Conner, President and CEO, Sonic Wall, said in a statement.