Global Ransomware Onslaught: GRIT Discovers 14 Fresh Ransomware Groups

Serving stats

• GRIT monitored a total of 1,177 publicly reported ransomware victims, which were claimed by 41 distinct threat groups. These figures indicate a significant 38% rise in publicly reported ransomware victims compared to the previous quarter and a staggering 100% increase compared to the same period in the previous year (Q2 2022). 
• Notably, the manufacturing and technology sectors remain the hardest hit, accounting for 14% and 11% of impacted industries, respectively, a trend that has persisted since GRIT's observations in 2022 and Q1 2023.
• During the quarter, the consulting industry saw a concerning relative growth of 236% in observed ransomware attacks, followed closely by the insurance industry with a relative growth of 160%. 
• The report also identified a surge in the activity of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) groups throughout the quarter, attributed to the emergence of 14 new groups. This represents a substantial 260% increase in "First Seen" groups compared to Q1. 
• Within the RaaS landscape, LockBit held a dominant position across all five most impacted industries, except healthcare, where it faced competition from BianLian and Karakurt.

Why this matters

• The statistics from Q2 2023 once again highlight the escalating ransomware threat that organizations worldwide are grappling with, emanating from both well-established ransomware gangs and emerging opportunistic groups. 
• The researchers emphasized that the reduced barriers to entry facilitated by the crimeware-as-a-service and RaaS economies are likely to attract more malicious actors in the future. 
• While well-prepared and well-resourced defenders might have an advantage in dealing with historical malware and ransomware, smaller or less-resourced organizations are exposed to heightened risks due to the surge in the volume of threats.

The bottom line