Ransomware attacks in India increased 200% quarter-on-quarter in April-June: Seqrite Report

Ransomware attacks in India doubled in the June quarter according to cybersecurity firm Seqrite’s quarterly threat report. Almost 4 lakh ransomware cases were reported in the April-June quarter, witnessing a large spike from the last quarter.

Seqrite detected 22 million Windows malware in June quarter. Out of these, 9.59 million attacks were in June alone, up from 7.51 million in May. As many as 100 enterprises have been affected by the Maze ransomware, which has emerged as the biggest ransomware threat according to the researchers.  Ryuk, Netwalker, RagnarLocker, PonyFinal and Tycoon are the other ransomware families that saw increased activity since the pandemic started. Absence of a good cybersecurity system attributed to the work from home situation is the reason behind the spike in the ransomware attacks, said the report.

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The recent attacks also saw ransomware operators stealing sensitive information apart from encrypting company systems and asking for ransom, which is a troublesome development. BFSI, Manufacturing, IT/ITES and Government departments are the most targeted because of the sensitive information they possess.

“Ransomware attacks have always been a concern for enterprises. But what makes them more dangerous is their innovative and evolving nature. While previously, threat actors used to block sensitive data and ask for a ransom in return, now they have evolved and become much smarter than ever,” Sanjay Katkar, Joint Managing Director and CTO – Quick Heal Technologies said in a statement. Manufacturing and professional services were the most affected sectors with 23.86% and 23.54% detection.