In 2022 Ransomware Attacks Disrupted Over Two Hundred Local Governments and Other Organizations

During 2022, more than 200 organizations in the government, healthcare, and education sectors were compromised by ransomware in the U.S., a similar number of incidents to the previous year, according to cybersecurity company Emsisoft.

In its new report, The State of Ransomware in the US: Report and Statistics 2022, Emsisoft found that 105 local county governments were impacted by ransomware. While this number did not differ greatly from the average number of incidents impacting local government over the past four years, the researchers note that the figure for 2022 was “dramatically affected by a single incident in Miller County, AK” that spread to computers in 55 separate counties. In addition, the report notes there are some caveats to its findings, including that only a small number of organizations in the private sector report ransomware attacks, making it difficult to track trending with any certainty.

Members are encouraged to continue pursuing ransomware resilience activities to reduce the risk from succumbing to a ransomware incident and reducing time of restoring systems when you do. From preparation to protection and response, CISA’s StopRansomware.gov is a recommended resource for all. Read more at BleepingComputer.