Ransomware activity rose by 21% in Q2 - Report

A report from security firm Digital Shadows, which monitors almost 90 data leak sites on the dark web, revealed that ransomware activity rose by 21% in the last quarter.

It observed ransomware groups name 705 victims in Q2 2022, leading to a resurgence in activity following a 25.3% decline quarter-on-quarter during Q1.

Due to Conti’s closure due to the disclosure of internal chat logs, the LockBit ransomware group surpassed it in terms of total victims. Conti had almost 900 victims when it began operating, but LockBit has since reached close to 1000, thanks to a 13% increase in activity during the third quarter.

As part of its ongoing effort to innovate, LockBit recently released version 3 of its ransomware, which added support for payments made with the cryptocurrency Zcash. It also introduced a data leak site where anyone can buy victim data and a reward program for any information on high-value targets.

Lockbit’s quarterly victim count was significantly higher than any other group in Q2 at about 230. In Q2, it was responsible for nearly one-third of all postings to leak sites. Conti, struggling for a few weeks following its data leak, accomplished just over 50. Alphv, which increased by 118% during the quarter, came in third. Basta finished fourth. According to the report, some other smaller groups are also expanding quickly. Vice Society increased its activity to take fifth place this quarter.

Industrial goods and services, which accounted for nearly a fifth of all attacks (18.4%) in Q2, were the most severely hit sector. Following construction (7.9 percent), healthcare (6.4 percent), and government, technology came in second with 8.7 percent (5.5 percent ). Nearly 40% of all incidents occurred in the US, making it the most frequently targeted country. The UK and Germany came in second and third, respectively.